BLACK CHILDREN
BLACK FAMILIES
BLACK ECE WORKFORCE
Black Californians United for Early Care and Education (BlackECE) is a powerful coalition of advocates, policy-influencers, civil rights organizations, researchers, university faculty, non-profit leaders, early educators, caregivers, providers, families, and community-based organizations. As BlackECE members, we have intentionally organized our influence around a 10-point policy plan to serve over 490,000 of California’s Black children (Kids Data, 2020). BlackECE intends to create bridges to previous work and create equity-minded policies that focus on Black children, families, and the ECE workforce.
ECE policy making and resource allocation have primarily excluded the lived experiences of Black Californians. For this reason, the BlackECE policy framework intends to disrupt and abolish over 400 years of purposely designed institutionalized racism. Our education system was founded on racial hierarchies and social constructs that underserve and underrepresent people of African descent. Further, the BlackECE’s policy plan responds to deficit-based narratives (e.g., expulsion and suspension rates, chronic absenteeism, low literacy rates, foster care, and poverty). As a result of historically deficit-minded policies, the ECE system is steeped in anti-Black beliefs and practices, thus reproducing racialized harm, even in “new” policies and programs. We aim to ensure California’s ECE system is culturally affirming for Black children, families, and educators and that ECE policies and resource allocation are aligned to match such vision.
Our 10-Point Policy Plan holds California accountable for its participation in causing racial harm in the early learning system.
- We demand a Black “whole child,” whole family,” “whole ECE workforce,” and “whole community” approach. We will no longer tolerate a generalized approach to the needs of Black ECE constituents.
- We demand a shift that results in California using policies and resources to address anti-Blackness in its structures while also investing in, affirming and advancing the cultural assets of Black people.
Our Policies Benefit