My own grief motivates me to write this message, and I do so with a heavy heart, enraged by the latest evidence of systemic and overt racism in America.
The consequences of such pervasive racism are great. We see them in the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, only the latest names on a long list of those killed. We see them in the ways black and brown people are dying at disproportionate rates from COVID-19. This devastating reality must change.
The work of CSCCE was founded upon and is rooted in the fundamental principles of justice. Achieving our vision of an early care and education system that is equitable and effective for all children, their families, and the women who are their caregivers and teachers is not only about this one sector. The systemic racism that pervades society is reflected daily in the low wages and racial wage gaps that are long-standing features of this field. In the context of the pandemic, this racism is evident in the fact that the early care workforce has been encouraged to serve others, even without appropriate protective supplies or access to health care. Achieving equity and racial and economic justice within early education requires a societal transformation so that these goals are reflected throughout society.
CSCCE remains committed to this work, and we stand in solidarity with our friends and partners across communities, sectors, and places throughout the country that are crying out for change. We call upon each of us to do the individual and collective work necessary to be anti-racist and to help create the conditions for healing, transformation, and justice for all.
