Promoting the Positive Racial Identity of Black Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Programs, by Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D. and Kamye Hugley, M.S.

Produced in partnership with Equity Research Action Coalition at UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute.

The first 1,000 days are a sensitive period in children’s development. This is critical period for language, emotional, and social development. Evidence is also accumulating about these early years as critical for positive ethnic-racial identity. Positive ethnic-racial identity is protective and promotive for children’s healthy development especially children from racially and linguistically minoritized families and communities. Unfortunately, this is an area rarely discussed and educators who care for and teach babies are undervalued and receive low compensation. In this session we will examine how Black families and their babies have been dealing with the two pandemics – COVID-19 and racism.

This paradigm shifting webinar by Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., Founding Director of the Equity Research Action Coalition at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC, Chapel Hill and Kamye Hugley, M.S., Coach and Trainer will examine how you can help to mitigate systemic inequities and biases often experienced by Black families and their babies. We will explore how to play a part in racial justice reform at the ground level by protecting babies and their families from harm, promoting their health, wealth, and educational access. You will also learn to what you can do to preserve their cultural traditions, identity, and language.

Together, we can center the needs of Black families and babies and deliver on the promise. Access to high quality affirming early care and education can help combat Black families and babies’ harmful experiences. Advancing racial equity means repairing the harm done through healing and promoting early care and education environments. Join us to:

• Understand why we must attend to the first 1,000 days in early care and education to promote Black children and other children of color’s healthy development

• Understand how Black families and their babies have been dealing with the twin pandemics and the importance of racial-ethnic socialization at home and in early learning environments

• Identify how to create high quality, culturally affirming learning environments for Black families and their babies

All sessions are 1.5 hours long, and include a brief announcement from our sponsor. 2:oo PM – 3:30 PM Eastern Time. To ensure you receive confirmation and reminder emails, add [email protected] to your contacts list. If you do not receive your email confirmation, check your Spam or Junk mail folders in your email system. Can’t participate in our webinars at the appointed time? Never fear! All of the webinars are recorded. To view the recording, simply register now and you will receive an email with a link to the recording when it is ready to be viewed. You can still download the certificate by watching the recording to the end when the certificate link is announced and displayed on the screen.

Regardless of when you register, only 3,000 people at one time can attend our webinars. Only the first 3,000 people to click the link to attend the webinar will be able to join. We start the webinars 30 minutes in advance of the start time. Arrive early to make sure you get in.

Please be advised that you will only be eligible for the great door prizes if you participate in the live session.

You can earn .2 CEUs for each webinar. The cost is $15 paid to University of Oklahoma online when you apply. Learn more here: Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from University of Oklahoma See the schedule of upcoming webinars.