Let’s Commit Ourselves to the Noble Struggle for Equal Rights

By Maiysha Dickerson, Director of Black & BIPOC Early Childhood Education Achievement

“Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world to live in.” 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his address at the Youth March for Integrated Schools, April 18, 1959 

San Francisco faces a severe shortage of Black/African American early educators with only 7-9% of ECE licensed center-based professionals identifying as Black/African American (CPAC 2023 Needs Assessment). 

In direct response to this disparity, Children’s Council of San Francisco developed several specific initiatives, including our newest project committed to racial justice and equity in early education: the Early Childhood Education Equity Leadership Academy!  

The ECE Equity Leadership Academy is an executive-level program for San Francisco-based center directors, administrators and Family Child Care (FCC) owner/directors to increase their knowledge, skills, and understanding of leadership grounded in racial equity, social justice and values identification. Together, we will build upon the leadership in our community and amplify the voices of diverse Early Childhood Education leaders in our city. 

Children’s Council, along with local partners and community stakeholders, also developed the following programs in recent years to address racial inequities in the early education field: the Black Early Educator Policy Council and the Pipeline Program for Black Early Childhood Educators’ Career Development.

For the Leadership Academy, Children’s Council is actively seeking 30 ECE leaders to engage in the revolutionary groundwork to create an equitable ECE system for San Francisco’s children and early educators. Our goal is to foster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in programs and agencies citywide through training, mentoring and 1:1 coaching. We will confront the realities of injustice by implementing anti-racist leadership practices and advocating for robust, diverse workforce and educational environments.  

Many are familiar with Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” but it is his bravery and courage in the face of racism and discrimination that continues to inspire our work. At Children’s Council, we are committed to instilling in our community of families and early educators that safe, nurturing child care should be a civil right for all Americans. And, we are committed to ensuring educators of all backgrounds have the awareness, tools and confidence – to support Black and BIPOC children. 

Please join our Black ECE Achievement team in continuing to spread Dr. King’s message to boldly challenge systemic inequities because the time is now.  

“This is a time of vigorous and positive action.” 

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his address at the March on Washington, August 28, 1963 

Funding for this new initiative is provided in part by the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood.

Photo: Bob Fitch Photography Archive, Stanford University Libraries. For nearly 2 years Bob Fitch was staff photographer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was president. Bob’s iconic images of Dr. King have been exhibited and reproduced globally in print, film and electronic media.

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