May 2021

From Child Trends, April 29, 2021 Early Childhood Health Equity (ECHE) work strengthen s early childhood systems to support healthy child development and reduce health inequities that can have a lifelong impact. T o help policymakers, advocates, communities, and familie s understand efforts to improve health equity and the well-being of children and families , t he Early Childhood Health Equity Initiative Explorer presents information about 143 cross -sector initiatives that aim to advance...

I attended a virtual meeting led by Leadership Tulsa, Oklahoma recently that highlighted an amazing program. I look at most programs through a trauma informed lens, and this non-profit, City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma, struck me as the epitome of trauma informed care. The safety and relationships they create allows for emotional sharing and healing that then leads to skill building, empowerment and resilience. I urge you to listen with a trauma informed ear, and you will hear Safety,...

Don’t forget to register for the Second Annual Virtual Virtual Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Trauma Awareness Symposium. Leaders in medicine, law, public health, social work, and education will present on topics related to ACEs, the COVID-19 pandemic, food security, suicide and self-injury, and much more! Symposium Kickoff Keynote Speaker- Dr. Patrice A. Harris, Immediate Past President of the American Medical Association (AMA) Luncheon Keynote Speaker- Claire Babineaux-Fontenot,...

I just taught in an online class.

By Anemona Hartocollis and Stacy Cowley, The New York Times, May 3, 2021 Richard Cordray, a close ally of Senator Elizabeth Warren who served as the first director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the Obama years, has been selected as the new head of federal student aid in the Biden administration, a post that will put him at the center of the swirling debate over forgiving student debt . The issue is a tricky one for President Biden. Though he has endorsed...

By Julia Lurie, Mother Jones, April 26, 2021 For decades, researchers have pointed out that the child welfare system is riddled with inequities. Black children are far more likely than their white counterparts to be investigated as victims of abuse and neglect, to be placed in foster care, and to be permanently separated from their biological parents. “Spend a day at dependency court in any major city and you will see the unmistakable color of the child welfare system,” wrote Dorothy...

By John Fensterwald, EdSource, May 10, 2021 Arguing that appropriating billions of dollars alone will not ensure action, community organizations and parents from Los Angeles and Oakland are asking an Alameda County Superior Court judge to order the state to immediately provide computers and internet access and address the mental health needs of children who have borne the brunt of the pandemic. The May 3 request for immediate relief comes six months after the plaintiffs sued the State Board...

By Good News Network, May 10, 2021 Tanitoluwa Adewumi—more commonly known by his nickname “Tani”—may be just 10 years old, but he’s already become an official Chess National Master, with an impressive rating of 2223. The 28th-youngest person ever to achieve such a title in a States, Tani was only introduced to the game of chess a few years ago, while living with his family in a homeless shelter. In 2017 Tani, his parents, and brother became refugees after fleeing Nigeria to escape violent...

By Sara Tiano, The Imprint, May 9, 2021 A year ago, the spot on Hegenberger Road in Oakland’s industrial district was but a barren parking lot. Today, it is an art-drenched neighborhood of “tiny homes” created by a local nonprofit, the latest effort to address California’s youth homelessness crisis. The 26 tiny homes, each measuring 8 feet by 10 feet, feature skylights, heated floors and custom Murphy beds that, when folded up, transform into a table. Each miniature house designed for one is...

Thank you all for making the second annual Resilience Week Virginia so wonderful! Many of the events are still available to view if you missed them, and the website will remain available as a resource. May 1st marked the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a moment to reflect on and celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of AAPI communities. Read more about taking on myths and uncovering resilience during this month . AAPI faculty and staff at UCLA...

“If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it” Richard Rohr “If your voice held no power, they wouldn’t try to silence you.” - unknown “The real question is not whether life exists after death. The real question is whether you are alive before death.” - Osho

“The most important thing you can do with your children is play with them!” said Dr. Bruce Perry, noted child psychiatrist and author. He was answering the question, “How do we prepare our children to go back to school next fall?” Perry, a brain expert specializing in how children are impacted by trauma, gave a presentation on his neuro-sequential model of brain development to more than 800 people at an Austin Ed Fund event Monday evening. The co-author, with Oprah Winfrey, of the new book...