Our Lift Every Voice (LEV) coalition grew to 90 advocates in 2024, empowering Black child care providers to champion policy change and amplify their voices at local, state, and national levels.
Continue readingLift Every Voice Impact Report
2nd Annual Lift Every Voice Advocacy Day
2nd Annual Lift Every Voice Advocacy Day
April 28, 2025
On April 16th, 2025, BlackECE held its 2nd Annual Lift Every Voice (LEV) Advocacy Day, an event dedicated to empowering and amplifying the voices of Black early care and education (ECE) providers from across California. This day was filled with advocacy, storytelling, and policy discussions aimed at dismantling the barriers Black ECE professionals face every day. Our LEV members met with legislative offices to speak directly to the people who hold the power to address these disparities in resources, wages, and more.
During the LEV Advocacy Day, our members had the opportunity to meet with key policymakers, including Senator Umberg, Senator Richardson, Assemblymember Wicks, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, Assemblymember Stefani, Assemblymember Bonta, Senator Cabaldon, and Assemblymember Elhawary. These meetings were a powerful platform for Black educators to share their personal stories, experiences, and challenges they face in the ECE field. The ongoing fight for racial wage justice and policy reforms that support Black children, families, and providers is paramount, and LEV members made sure to highlight how these systemic issues persist in California’s child care system.
Key Issues Discussed: Our advocates spoke candidly about the systemic racism in early care and education, specifically addressing the disparities in funding, wages, and resources available to Black child care providers. As members of the LEV coalition, they brought forward critical concerns such as:
Wage Disparities: Black child care providers are consistently paid less than their white counterparts, despite similar experience and qualifications.
Access to Resources: Black early educators often lack access to professional development, quality training, and resources needed to support the children and families they serve.
Lack of Representation: The absence of Black voices in leadership positions within early education policy-making continues to undermine the effectiveness and inclusivity of California’s child care system.
The 2nd Annual LEV Advocacy Day was not just about addressing the issues at hand but also about building momentum for policy changes that will benefit Black early care and education professionals across California. The work that BlackECE does continues to make an undeniable impact, and as the Lift Every Voice coalition grows, we look forward to more victories for Black children, families, and early educators. The conversations we started in Sacramento will continue to echo throughout the state as we demand systemic change.
For more information about how to get involved or to support our advocacy work, please visit our Lift Every Voice Impact Report and see the difference you can make in the fight for racial equity and justice in early childhood education.
Lift Every Voice Impact Report
Our Lift Every Voice (LEV) coalition grew to 90 advocates in 2024, empowering Black child care providers to champion policy change and amplify their voices at local, state, and national levels.
Black Family Cookouts
Our Summer Black Family Cookout Series October 7, 2024 BlackECE developed the idea for the Black Family Cookout in the summer of 2022. Thinking about how though there are 2.5 million Black folks in California, we’re all spread out, meaning for
Lift Every Voice Impact Report
In July 2022, BlackECE established a series of strategic priorities with one being to fight for racial wage justice for Black early care and education providers. A month later, the Practitioner’s Voice California Fund, a grantmaking initiative to support organizations that build ECE practitioner’s power to advance equity in pay, announced a call for proposals. Read about it's impact!
BlackECE was featured in the LA Times!
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Lift Every Voice 2023
Lift Every Voice October 6, 2023 The very first financial support BlackECE received was from the new Practioners’ Voice Fund, to uplift the voices of the Black child care workforce
What Happens When Childcare Centers Close?
Childcare is the backbone of our communities, and one childcare provider's story sheds light on the struggles many face every day. In a recent article by Word in Black, BriTanya Brown, the founder of Our Loving Village in Stamford, Texas, opened our eyes to the remarkable, often underappreciated work childcare providers do.
Lift Every Voice Impact Report
In July 2022, BlackECE established a series of strategic priorities with one being to fight for racial wage justice for Black early care and education providers. A month later, the Practitioner’s Voice California Fund, a grantmaking initiative to support organizations that build ECE practitioner’s power to advance equity in pay, announced a call for proposals. Read about it’s impact!
Continue readingLift Every Voice 2023
Lift Every Voice
October 6, 2023
The very first financial support BlackECE received was from the new Practioners’ Voice Fund, to uplift the voices of the Black child care workforce to address the racial wage gap. Black child care providers are paid .78 less than their white counterparts. One major reason is that Black early educators are more likely to care for infants and toddlers, the least paid role in the field.
Lift Every Voice Retreat 2023
September 24, 2023
This Month, we launched Lift Every Voice, welcoming nearly 40 Black child care educators for a weekend of joy, restoration, and strategizing. We can show you better than we can tell you!
Are you a Black child care professional, ready to join this movement?
Governor Newsom keeps child care spending, makes no commitments to Black children, families, child care workforce
Governor Newsom keeps child care spending, makes no commitments to Black children, families, child care workforce. Black Californians United for Early Care & Education January 11, 2024 We thank Governor
What Happens When Childcare Centers Close?
Childcare is the backbone of our communities, and one childcare provider's story sheds light on the struggles many face every day. In a recent article by Word in Black, BriTanya Brown, the founder of Our Loving Village in Stamford, Texas, opened our eyes to the remarkable, often underappreciated work childcare providers do.
Black Family Cookouts
Our Summer Black Family Cookout Series October 7, 2024 BlackECE developed the idea for the Black Family Cookout in the summer of 2022. Thinking about how though there are 2.5 million Black folks in California, we’re all spread out, meaning for