In the Arena with NOW

What does it look like to create a trauma-informed early care and education community? Why is centering parent leaders critical to achieving this vision? In our 13th episode, we learn about the innovative work that the Essex County Council for Young Children (ECCYC) is leading to foster meaningful cross-sector partnerships between agencies and parents to create healthy, thriving, and resilient communities. Based in Newark, New Jersey, ECCYC is made up of a coalition of parents and families, along with providers and other community members as active partners, who identify and discuss the issues that affect the health, education and safety of children from pregnancy to eight in Essex County, including the important role of childhood trauma and adverse early experience. A leading statewide model for authentic parent engagement and leadership, ECCYC is made up of majority parent involvement in key leadership roles and is actively working with peer communities to share their trauma-informed and parent leadership approach across the state of New Jersey. Through our conversation, we learn about why parent leadership matters, their cross-sector collaborative approach, and the importance of meeting people where they are at and honoring each of our gifts in this work. Learn more and stay connected with ECCYC at https://www.facebook.com/Essex.Council. 

Guests include:

• Dr. Beverly Lynn, CEO, Programs for Parents, Inc
• Judy Bennett, Consultant to Essex County Council for Young Children 
• Altorice Frazier, Parent, Essex County Council for Young Children Co-Chair; Executive Director, Parents Engaging Parents 
• Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, Vital Village Network

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing
Music By: Morgan Breland
Edited by: Diana Rivera

How can providers honor the children and caregivers they work with as the experts of their own lives? In our 12th episode we feature Brazelton Touchpoints Center, located in Boston, Massachusetts, to learn about shifting to mental models that honor the dignity of children and their caregivers, a key strategy for creating a sustainable world where children grow up to be thriving adults in their local community. Listen along as we hear from Josh Sparrow and Mindy May share the story of Brazelton Touchpoints Center, their experiences with shifting mental models in their efforts to make the Brazelton vision become reality, and the lessons learned as mentors in the NOW Learning Community. 

To learn more about the dignity framework developed by Ubuntu Research and Evaluation, visit https://www.ubunturesearch.com.

To find out more about Brazelton Touchpoints Center and its professional development offerings on changing mindsets, visit https://www.brazeltontouchpoints.org/. 

Guests include:

• Josh Sparrow, Executive Director, Brazelton Touchpoints Center, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Mindy May, Director of Partnership and Professional Development, Brazelton Touchpoints Center
•  Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, Vital Village Networks

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing
Music By: Morgan Breland
Edited By: Tiffany Rodriguez

What are the critical components of a successful workforce development program? The Family Engagement Network (FEN), located in Pima County Arizona, is leading the way in a holistic and family-centered approach to supporting caregivers and their families to empower themselves through the opportunity to build critical workforce skills. In our 11th episode, we hear from Lorena, a parent champion in the workforce program, who shares her experience in the program. We then learn from FEN members, Heather, Tamara, and Pam, who discuss the importance of centering families and how they navigate the needs and desires of families as a unit to improve how the network serves its community. 

Guests include:

• Lorena Robles, Parent Champion, Family Engagement Network 
•  Heather Friedman, Pima North Regional Director, First Things First
•  Tamara Nicolosi, Director of Business Development and Engagement, Pima Community College
•  Pam Valencia,  Workforce Enrollment Specialist, Pima County Arizona at Work
•  Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, Vital Village Network

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland

Edited by: Camila Beiner

Episodio 10: Adelante, Adelante: El movimiento hacia la justicia del idioma y la equidad

Con sede en el condado de Jefferson, Colorado, la coalición Adelante es una red de familias, agencias y organizaciones que toma en cuenta la voz de la comunidad LatinX y hace decisiones con respecto a la salud y la educación. En nuestro décimo episodio, presentamos nuestro primer podcast bilingüe en el que practicamos la justicia del idioma hablando con tres líderes en el centro de Adelante: Cynthia Zapata, Lorena García y Paulina Erices. Estas líderes reflexionan sobre la importancia de reunirse con las familias y comunidades hispanas donde se encuentran a través de lugares culturalmente inclusivos donde pueden sentirse apoyados y respetados con dignidad, para liderar el cambio que desean ver en su propia comunidad querida. La transcripción en inglés se puede encontrar aquí:

Los invitados incluyen:

• Cynthia Zapata, Campeona de la comunidad y Coordinadora de redes, Adelante
• Lorena García, Coordinadora de red, Adelante
• Paulina Erices, Coordinadora de red, Adelante
• Camila Beiner, campeona de justicia de idiomas y entrevistadora, Vital Village Network

English transcript can be found here: https://bit.ly/Adelante-podcast-transcript-english
Based in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Adelante coalition is a network of families, agencies, and organizations that brings the voice of the LatinX community to decision making regarding health and education. In our tenth episode, we present our very first bilingual podcast episode in which we practice language justice by speaking with three leaders at the heart of Adelante: Cynthia Zapata, Lorena Garcia, and Paulina Erices. These leaders reflect on the importance of meeting Spanish speaking families and communities where they are at through culturally inclusive places where they can feel supported and respected with dignity, in order to lead the change that they want to see in their own beloved comunidad. 

Guests include:

• Cynthia Zapata, Community Champion & Network Coordinator, Adelante
• Lorena Garcia, Network Coordinator, Adelante
• Paulina Erices, Network Coordinator, Adelante
• Camila Beiner, Language Justice Champion & Interviewer, Vital Village Networks

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland

Edited by: Camila Beiner

How can we use data to tell community stories and create actionable change? What is the role of narrative in advancing equitable policies that improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families? In our ninth episode, we explore these questions with Allison Bovell-Ammon and Dr. Megan Sandel of Children’s HealthWatch (CHW). Headquartered at Boston Medical Center, CHW is a nonpartisan network of pediatricians, public health researchers, and children’s health and policy experts working to improve the health and development of young children by informing policies that address and alleviate economic hardships. Through our conversation, we learn about CHW’s collaborative efforts to advocate for holistic and innovative policy solutions that are grounded in community voices and address root causes of health inequity, including their policy efforts to design pathways to stable homes and expand access to Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) benefits. Learn more about their efforts, including resources and supports for families to find safe and secure housing during COVID-19, at: https://childrenshealthwatch.org/. 

Guests include:

• Allison Bovell-Ammon, Director of Policy Strategy, Children’s HealthWatch
• Dr. Megan Sandel, Co-Lead Principal Investigator, Children’s HealthWatch
• Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, Vital Village Network

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland

What would it look like if every community had the resources and support to be in charge of their own change and transformation? The Voices and Choices for Children coalition has been working to drive equitable processes for improving childhood health, educational, and economic outcomes, as well as improving the representation and leadership of communities of color and American Indian communities across the state of Minnesota by partnering with parents, state agencies, non-profits and community stakeholders. In our eighth episode, we learn from three coalition members who believe in walking the talk of centering the dignity of children and their communities by unapologetically addressing implicit bias that exists in the fundamental mental models that have driven the system in which we live in. They share their coalitions experience passing legislation to invest in their community, the importance of persistence when shifting mindsets, and the hope that they have for the future the Community Solutions Grant Program and the children living in the state of Minnesota.  

Guests include:

• Dianne Haulcy, Senior Vice President of Family Engagement, Think Small - Minnesota
• Bharti Wahi, Executive Director, Children’s Defense Fund - Minnesota
• May Losloso, Senior Organizer, Children's Defense Fund
• Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, NOW at Vital Village Network

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) works with a diverse network of communities and partners to reduce breastfeeding disparities among African American women and to strengthen the health and wellbeing of babies and families, particularly in communities of color. In our seventh episode, we speak with Andrea Serano of ROSE and learn about their multi-pronged approach to transforming the breastfeeding landscape to be more accessible, inclusive, culturally relevant and equitable -- from mentoring and support groups, to training, education, and legislative advocacy. Andrea also shares highlights from ROSE’s new report, Saving Tomorrow Today: An African American Breastfeeding Blueprint, which builds on research, community listening sessions, and stakeholder engagement to identify key disparities in breastfeeding faced by African American women, and offer innovative community solutions and policy recommendations. learn more at: http://www.breastfeedingrose.org/. 

Featured Guest:

• Andrea Serano, Program Director, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE)

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland

Based in Berkeley County, South Carolina, the Berkeley Early Education and Care Collective (BEE Collective) and its network of partners are working to create a system of care for social and emotional development that can support the wellbeing of families and communities at large. In our sixth episode, we speak with members of the BEE Collective and learn about the powerful efforts they are leading to advance equity, align systems, and build Beloved Community, including their work to address the disproportionate exclusion and expulsion of Black and brown boys in early learning settings, as well as the barriers Black mothers face in accessing quality and culturally responsive services. Guests share their personal stories -- as mothers, doulas, and community members -- and reflect on the importance of community-driven solutions, women-of-color led safe spaces, and authentic truth telling for community transformation. 

Guests include:

• Alexa Stephens, Project Coordinator, Berkeley County First Steps 
• Richie Simone Lee, Doula and Community Champion, Berkeley Early Education and Care Collective
• Adrienne Troy-Frazier, Executive Director, Berkeley County First Steps

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing
Music By: Morgan Breland

Based in Navajo Nation, New Mexico, the McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition (MCECC) seeks to eliminate health disparities and improve the wellbeing of American Indians and Alaska Natives in their community. In our fifth episode, we learn from members of MCECC about the transformative efforts they are leading to promote healthy, prosperous, and empowered Native children and families, grounded in honoring their indigenous culture, language, and traditions. Guests reflect on their ongoing work to foster partnerships, invest in existing community resources, align efforts with tribal leadership, and build capacity for systems change led by Native communities themselves.  

Guests include:

• Robert Alsburg, Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment
• Gabriel Claw, Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment 
• Colleen Roan, Navajo Nation Early Intervention Program
• Esther Rodriquez, Community Champion, ATD Fourth World
• Erick Sanders, ATD Fourth World
• Emerson Toledo, McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition
• Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, NOW at Vital Village Network

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing

Music By: Morgan Breland

What does it take to tackle intergenerational poverty and ensure that all children have the best start in life to thrive? The West Philadelphia Action for Early Learning & Partners (AFEL) have been working to bring together critical partners, caregivers, and community stakeholders to ensure that families in Philadelphia have equitable access to quality early care and education opportunities. Led by Action for Early Learning at Drexel University,  AFEL & Partners builds upon the West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhoods effort and also includes key partners such as Health Federation of Philadelphia, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, A Running Start Philadelphia, and many others. In our fourth episode, we learn from two leaders of AFEL & Partners and their work to support an alliance of child care centers seeking to improve quality care, as well as strengthen community outreach and awareness campaigns to ensure that all children are kindergarten ready. They share the lessons learned about the power of peer learning, the importance of a trauma-informed lens in cradle-to-career efforts, and the impact of these partnerships on the lives of caregivers, children, and families in Philadelphia. 

Guests include:

• Maria Walker, Project Director, Action for Early Learning, Drexel University Office of University and Community Partnerships
• Leslie Lieberman, Senior Director of Training and Organizational Development, Health Federation of Philadelphia
• Host: Ronda Alexander, Director of Operations, NOW at Vital Village Network

Produced by: Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing
Music By: Morgan Breland