Summer Launch of BCDI-San Francisco

By Chanelle Brown, Senior Manager, Equity and Leadership

For families, children and educators in the city of San Francisco, the summer is a great time for rejuvenation, recreation, exploration and play!

On that note, we wanted to share the great news that we have officially launched BCDI-San Francisco, a Village of the  National Black Child Development Institute. BCDI San Francisco is a fiscally sponsored project of Children’s Council. This new organizing space for Black families, community members and educators is a platform to celebrate cultural identity and joy, advocate for Black children, and strengthen leadership capacity amongst advocates and stakeholders. Our hope is to build the foundation of BCDI-San Francisco, where it can grow to become an independent entity in the next three to five years.  

We hosted a Black Family Empowerment Day Symposium where we had the chance to celebrate Juneteenth with our community. We uplifted Black families and providers through advocacy, healing, joy, self-care and empowerment. 

We had dynamic workshops on wellness, healthy eating and strategies for affirming and supporting Black providers and children—plus activities for kids of all ages! Our keynote speaker, Reverend Terrance Mckinley, Vice President, Movement Building and Strategy, gave inspirational words on the importance of community building and the effects it has on our children. Laura Urban, Associate Director of Health & Nutrition at Children’s Council, led attendees in a healthy living discussion, group stretch and vision board project. Some of the children even felt encouraged to participate.  

Panelists from the Black Early Educator Policy Council including Krystle Danridge-Pierson, Linda Mack-Burch, and Madonna Stancil, held a powerful fireside chat where we heard from providers and parents about their concerns and the changes they hope to see for their children’s education.

It was a packed room with so many great moments to celebrate! Before we ended the inaugural Black Family Empowerment Day Symposium, with a healing walk around the waterfront venue, we received valuable information on Children’s Council’s Family, Friends, and Neighbors (FFN) program from Margarita Spataro, Business Supports Manager. 

“It was so uplifting in such a heavy time. It was physically and spiritually nourishing,” one participant said.  We believe that perfectly summarizes the collective feeling of the day!

About NBCDI

NBCDI is a national civil rights organization and the preeminent voice for Black children and families. NBCDI’s work is creating a world that benefits from the strengths and power of Black children. The organization focuses on the assets Black children bring to our world simply by being, and its efforts are centered around mobilizing communities and igniting movements for the health, safety, and well-being of Black children and families. You are invited to read NBCDI’s Eight Essential Outcomes for child development and their transformative Afrofuturism and Systems Change paper. 

To learn more, stay tuned as more information on BCDI-San Francisco will be shared online in the coming weeks!