NBCDI

Hotep is an artist and educator, but most importantly, he’s a father to two young “cubs.” Hotep has created a family friendly anime series, centered around a father and his two children, representing characters that look like them and instilling some of the important qualities for positive human development: Confidence, self-esteem and belief in oneself.

As part of their effort to target early childhood from ages zero to eight, BDCI-Colorado President Jalen Taylor is working to expand their reach across the Rocky Mountain state – with a special focus on mental health and wellness.

Kamren Rollins wears multiple hats, serving as BCDI-DC President and COO of the Southeast Children's Fund. Both roles, however, share the same mission: Advancing opportunities for greater learning among—and enhancing development opportunities for—D.C.’s children, from the classroom to wraparound services.

How do you ensure that Eight Essential Outcomes for Black Child Development get to communities, schools, educators, leaders, researchers, policymakers and parents anywhere—or everywhere—in the U.S.? Build a National Village Network, explains NBCDI’s Director of Community Engagement.

BCDI-Seattle has been advocating for local children and their families around public policy, education and change for 50 years. The many tactics that President Kimberly Early and her colleagues have put into place include a parent hotline where families can get immediate help and guidance when navigating school issues, including the challenge of suspensions and expulsions of Black students.

Kumani Bey may still be in high school, but her art—using words, filmmaking and more— is giving voice to multiple causes and making impact across all ages. Kumani joined the NBCDI Conference as a Youth Speaker to highlight America’s technology gap and its impact on Black children.

Dr. Lee Johnson III doesn’t just run NBCDI’s Policy Fellowship program, he graduated from it. Now, with a new cohort who joined the18-month program, Dr. Johnson and his colleagues are advancing “Breakthrough Action Leadership” that focuses on growing responsive, self-reflective leaders. As well, the group is addressing the climate and environmental concerns that also affect early childhood development in many communities.

The Schott Foundation gathered grassroots organizations from across the country for the Opportunity to Learn Federal Policy Commission. On the eve of their recommendations becoming public, the Commission’s Director, Michael S. Wotorson, discusses why they came together and how their ideas will influence school board actions, local municipal leadership and state policy.

Every child has a story. And the BCDI-Carolina’s Marketing & Communications Manager explains why—in order to improve all children’s learning experience—it’s incumbent on all of us to listen to their stories and know how to share them with others.

As a high school senior, Rotimi Kukoyi was accepted to all 15 colleges to which he applied. Now, as a UNC student, NBCDI Public Voices Fellow and Morehead-Cain Scholar, Kukoyi explains his mission to ensure that our “education system is properly equipped to provide students from all backgrounds with equitable opportunities in education.” Education, he notes, “should not be limited by a student's income, geographic area or their parents' education status.”

From BCDI-Greater Los Angeles comes an ageless African tradition: Mind your elders. After all, from lessons on wisdom to respect, they have important insights for parents and children alike.

Sonya Soni, Advocacy Program Director, Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, connects global insights from India to Los Angeles to explore how a sense of belonging—as well as something she calls “poetry in policymaking”—can impact structural obstacles to child and family welfare.