Black English
About the Black English Language Workgroup
The Black English Language Workgroup is a collaborative partnership of organizations committed to advancing language justice for Black children in early childhood education. The workgroup brings together BlackECE, Californians Together, Catalyst California, and Early Edge to challenge harmful language hierarchies and affirm Black English as a legitimate, rule-governed language rooted in Black history, culture, and community.
Grounded in research, community knowledge, and lived experience, the workgroup centers the voices of Black families, educators, and advocates to address how language bias shows up in early learning spaces—and how it can be dismantled. Together, the partners work to shift narratives, strengthen practice, and influence policy so Black children’s home languages are honored as assets rather than deficits.
The Brilliance and Importance of Affirming Black English in Early Childhood Education
The Black English Knowledge Brief series is a set of practical, accessible resources developed by the Black English Language Workgroup to support educators, caregivers, administrators, and advocates in affirming Black English in early childhood settings.
Each brief explores a key aspect of Black English—what it is, its historical and cultural significance, and why language affirmation matters for children’s identity, belonging, and learning. The series also connects research to real-world practice and policy, offering guidance for creating language-affirming environments that honor Black children and families.
Together, the Knowledge Briefs and accompanying webinar series are tools for learning, reflection, and action—supporting a collective shift toward language-affirming systems, dignity, and linguistic justice in early care and education.
Black English Webinar Series
Panelists
Carolyne Crolotte is the Director of Policy at Early Edge California. Carolyne leads the organization’s policy and advocacy efforts to support children and families across California and nationally. She brings nearly two decades of experience in Early Childhood Education, having worked primarily in the classroom, supporting students and teachers across several roles, including Site Supervisor/Academic Coordinator, English Learner Specialist/Coach, and Curriculum Developer. She is also proficient in Portuguese, French, and Spanish, and is raising her two young children as Multilingual Learners.
Dubrea Sanders serves as the Advocate for Black Justice and Policy for Black ECE, leading all advocacy efforts at the California State Capitol. Previously, Dubrea served on Catalyst California’s Government Relations team, focusing on K-12 & Early Childhood Education (ECE) issues and supporting the development and execution of Catalyst California’s statewide advocacy strategy for California’s Youth. Prior to that, Dubrea served in the state Capitol for nearly three years, working on Health and Human Services policy and budget issues.
JunHee Doh serves as the Associate Director of Birth to Third Grade Policy on the Educational Equity team at Catalyst California. She leads policy advocacy, research, and coalition-building to advance racial equity and language/linguistic justice for children and families of color from historically underserved communities in California. Her work is grounded in community-based policymaking and strengthening multiracial solidarity for collective liberation. She envisions aligned and articulated systems where children and families are met with dignity and have equitable access to culturally and linguistically affirming early learning and care and services that support the whole child and family. JunHee comes from a background of policy research and partnership building in non-profits and international organizations.
Keisha (kay-isha) Nzewi (en-zay-we) is a co-founder and Woman in Charge of Black Californians United for Early Care and Education, and Vice President of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board. With vivid memories of her family raising money for Jessie Jackson’s run for president, going to the voting booth every election as a child, and watching Eyes on the Prize every February from its debut for at least 3 years after, Keisha couldn’t help but spend her career standing up for what is right and just. Since spending a year as a VISTA volunteer organizing and training communities to use data to advocate for what they need in Sacramento, CA, she has spent 27 years as an advocate for a variety of social justice issues.
Mario Snow, the son of Italian and Mexican immigrants, grew up in Inglewood, CA, where his mother opened the neighborhood’s first home-based child care program. This early experience sparked his lifelong commitment to strengthening early childhood education systems. Since 2002, Mario has worked across California’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) field, beginning as a subcontractor with First 5 California to support data collection and evaluation of statewide initiatives. Over more than 20 years, he has partnered with First 5 California, county commissions, consortia, and statewide organizations—including the California Department of Social Services, California Department of Education, county offices of education, and resource and referral agencies—building bridges across agencies to improve outcomes for children and families. Mario holds a B.A. in Psychology from Pacific University and dual master’s degrees in Social Work and Business Administration from Boston College. Outside of work, he enjoys SCUBA diving anywhere he can and quilting personalized gifts for family and friends. He is also the proud parent of two children: one in community college and one in middle school in Palos Verdes, CA.
Samantha C. Thompson, MBA, is the Woman That Makes Things Happen at BlackECE and a seasoned facilitator and leader in early learning systems, policy, and equity. She brings nearly 15 years of experience from the Merced County Office of Education, where she led countywide initiatives focused on access, quality improvement, and workforce development, including the Caring for Our Black Children grant. Prior to BlackECE, Samantha served as Associate Director of Early Learning Policy at Education Trust–West. Known for her engaging and practical facilitation style, Samantha centers equity, systems change, and real-world application in her work with early childhood professionals.
Moderator
Dr. Ashley C. Williams (Dr. Ash) is a nationally recognized early care and education (ECE) leader, systems strategist, and Founder and Principal Consultant of justECE, where she advances educator-centered strategy and systems change grounded in the belief that when educators are supported, children and families thrive. With more than 20 years of experience across preschool classrooms, nonprofit leadership, public agencies, and higher education, she brings deep, practice-informed expertise to systems-level work that centers educators and communities often excluded from decision-making. Her career spans roles as a preschool educator, Head Start center director, faculty member at San Francisco State University, senior leader with EDvance College and the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood, and Vice President at Jumpstart for Young Children, where she led national workforce development initiatives. A proud co-founder of BlackECE, former National Black Child Development Institute Policy Fellow, and advisor to local and national organizations, Dr. Ash works to ensure educators remain at the center of lasting, transformative change.
