Each one of the "pages" on this website can be used to promote discussions to build awareness of issues related to racial equity with the four categories of...
Funds of Knowledge:
  • Strength based view of families
  • ​Awareness of Parenting Practices in Other Cultures
  • Addressing Biases
  • Empathy and affirming social identities
​
Interactions:
  • With staff
  • With peers
  • With materials
  • With physical environment
  • Behavior expectations
  • Classroom community
  • Building of empathy
  • ​Impact of words

​Family Engagement:
  • Acknowledge all of the different ways families are involved
  • ​Choice of words

Professional Learning Communities, faculty meetings, professional development days are examples of opportunities in which to carve out 30-40 minutes for respectful and powerful conversations.

Prior to beginning conversations regarding racial equity, set norms for the group, use the ones below, or tweak and add to the ones below...
- Honor all voices: be aware of your air time and listen attentively
- Agree to disagree with respect for each other's ideas and perspectives
- Stay present in the whole group conversation, avoid side conversations
- Notice discomfort in yourself and stay curious

This website was created by two public school Early Childhood Coordinators as a part of the Illinois Early Learning Racial Cohort. We sincerely thank the Illinois Early Learning State Team for this opportunity as well as consultants who traveled from Washington DC to teach, guide and collaborate with us. 
Our hope is that the information set forth on these pages, helps to guide conversations to build programs of equity and belonging for all children and their families.
Sincerely,
Debra Honegger (journeyintoearlychildhood.com)
​and
Kris Penningon (unit5 twitter account)