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Social Justice for Young Children:
Introducing FCD’s Conversation Series
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The Foundation for Child Development works at the nexus of research, policy, and practice to improve the lives of young children. Over the past 50 years, FCD has focused on reducing child and family poverty, aligning early childhood and K-12 systems, understanding the growing population of young immigrant children, and—most recently—supporting the early care and education workforce.
Currently, we are engaged in what we’re calling A Year of Reflection and Exploration. We are looking backward at our organization’s rich past, looking outward at today’s social and political context, and looking forward to our future directions. We are in year eight of our 10-year commitment to the workforce initiative, and as we chart the next phase of our work, we seek to learn from our past while meeting this current moment. The pandemic and mass protests have shined a bright light on racism, xenophobia, and economic inequality, and we must seize the lessons for the future.
Over the next year, we are hosting a conversation series—in this blog and beyond it—that explores what it means to pursue social justice for young children and their families.
We will welcome advocates, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and funders to share:
- their visions for a more just society for children and families,
- their work in pursuit of that aim, and
- the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
We will invite voices:
- from the racial, immigrant, and economic justice movements;
- from diverse academic disciplines; and
- from local, state, and national advocacy efforts.
We will ask:
- what will be required of the research community in collaborating with families and communities;
- how do we build sturdy relationships between child advocates and movement leaders; and
- what role can funders play in bridging social justice movements and early childhood research, policy, and practice?
More broadly, the Foundation’s Board and staff will consider the kind of society we want to build for our nation’s children and what FCD’s role should be in working toward that future. We will share what we learn along this journey, and we invite you to share your hopes, knowledge, and experiences.
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ABOUT US
Founded in 1900, the Foundation for Child Development works at the intersection of research, policy, and practice to support young children in reaching their full potential.
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