February Newsletter 2022

Monthly Newsletters

Dear Friends,

The fact that February is Black History Month brings up so many thoughts and burning questions for me as a leader of an organization where 93% of our children are from low-income families and 35% are Black. Are we doing enough to level the playing field for our Black students? Are we doing everything we can to train our staff and volunteers to best serve these kids and their families? Are we always mindful of cultural differences and equity when designing and delivering our programs?

I am very proud to say that these are the questions we address daily as we hire and train staff and volunteers, as we select curricula, and plan for the future. BUT, I am also humbled by the fact that despite so much progress and success in these and other areas, we have so much further to go as we grow.

As we celebrate Black History Month, I invite you to take a moment to learn about some amazing Black educators who have and are making amazing contributions in the U.S. I highly recommend watching the videos associated with two of these educators, Rita Pierson and Edmund Gordon; I guarantee it will be 15 minutes well spent! Click here.

May we all strive to do better, personally and professionally, to ensure that all children have access to the great equalizer…a GREAT education! Thanks to each of YOU, our dedicated supporters, for making our daily quest to do just that, possible!

Blessings,

Jacque Daughtry
Executive Director