Changing Demographics and Diversity

National Black Child Development Institute

While exploring the National Black Child website, I was curios about its origin, so I clicked on the “About Us” tab and discovered that this organization was birth in the 60s during the civil rights era by the Black Women’s Community Development Foundation in Washington, D.C who were concerned about the unsatisfactory conditions of children and families who wanted to rear healthy children. After impacting their community on a local level, the group decided to form a national advocacy group forming networks in other cities and were incorporated in 1970 as The National Black Child Development Institute Inc.Their mission statement is as follows, 

“To improve and protect the quality of life for children of color and their families by giving every child a chance.” 

NBCDI promotes a multifaceted agenda to promote and protect the well being of children of color and is committed to replacing the existing cookie cutter (deficit oriented) program models with strength based initiatives designed to meet the individual needs of this particular population. Programs are designed to assist children and families experiencing challenges in the areas of early care and education, health, parenting, education, and child welfare. NBCDI also collaborates with other early childhood professional organizations and persons associated with the field.

Next, I explored their accomplishments and I was excited to discover that a NBCDI work successfully to create public policy and influence legislation that directly affects the lives of African American children by testifying before Congress on every significant child care bill. I was also excited to learn that the P.E.P. Parent Empowerment Project was one of their initiatives, reason being I was a child care director in the 1990s for the YMCA and we contracted the operation of a teen parent child development center with a Fort Worth Public high school. I recall the school social worker having weekly meetings with the teen parents that I sometimes attended. Topics ranged from filling out an application to properly strapping children in car seats and more.

I was also amazed to learn of another program initiative, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® This program provides sequenced educational scholarship opportunities for child care center teachers, directors and family child care home providers who work in regulated settings. Scholarships are also available to supplement the expense of teachers pursuing their CDA, Associates or Bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education.

One last thing, I discovered is that their annual conference will he held in Nashville, TN Oct. 8 – 11, 2011 where I reside.

In response to does this  website respond to this week’s topic, changing demographics and diversity, I did not see an actual article, the publication tab is being updated, but the topics for the conference are as follows,

• ·      Solving the Persistent Challenge: How to Promote and Support Diverse Leadership

• ·       Preparing for Diversity: The Role of Higher Education in Preparing Effective Educators of Black and Latino Children

Membership is very inexpensive for students, only $20.00! Wow! I think that is what I paid back in the late 90s.