Last year, we reinstituted our DEY Working Groups, this time with a regional focus. We recruited early childhood advocates to join local groups, working together to advance our mission and campaign to restore the link between high-quality and child development.


We are excited to announce that we are transitioning our working groups to support our new campaign: Ready for Me. Created by the Kentucky Area Working Group, Ready for Me is an arts-based campaign that aims to shift the narrative on kindergarten readiness to focus on what schools need to know to be ready for young children.

We are working on a campaign statement and toolkit, and will begin piloting the campaign soon. Stay tuned for more details and an invitation to join Ready for Me and read more about the work of the Kentucky Area Working Group in our Mini-Grant update below!

Last month, we launched our new RPS course, Seeing Ourselves Seeing Each Other: Nurturing Healthy Identity in the Early Years. If you missed the introductory webinar, you can access the recording by clicking the link below. 


We are pleased to announce that our October workshop, Affirming Latine Identity in the Early Years, has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 28th, at 6:00 p.m. EDT. Yesenia Moya Garay will join DEY ED Denisha Jones to discuss Latine racial/ethnic identity development and how to nurture healthy racial identity in young Latine children. Yesenia is a Community Organizer, Educator, Artist, and Founder of Mojada Inc.

Each month, we will focus on a particular racial/ethnic group. RPS subscribers can access the webinars and receive a reflective workbook. Subscribe today for $8 a month!

Did you miss our Child Care Justice webinar? You can click on the link below to access the recording.

Want to take a deeper dive and join the movement for child care justice?

Our Fall 2025 Book Study on Child Care Justice: Transforming the System of Care for Young Children begins tomorrow, October 16, at 6:00 pm. EDT and will meet for four weeks.

For $25, you can join our weekly Zoom discussions and receive access to our reflective workbook. RPS Platinum Subscribers receive complimentary access to our book study!

Unfortunately, we had to postpone our first Resistance Collective Meeting. The meeting has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 8th, at 1 pm EDT. Fill out the form to join the resistance today!

Last month, we launched our Diversity Is Not Divisive resource share. Each month, we will share resources that honor our commitment to diversity as an asset that must be affirmed and protected.

This month's resource is Teaching Central America: A Project of Teaching for Change. This campaign, designed to promote teaching about Central America, features lessons, book lists, biographies, and additional resources.

Check out the elementary lessons plans here!

Do you have a favorite diversity resource you want us to share? Fill out this form! Explore our Diversity Resources here.

DEY Dialogues: Discussions in Defense of Childhood return next week! On Tuesday, 10/21, at 1 pm EDT we will livestream our next episode: Supporting Immigrant Children and Their Families with guest Erika Strauss Chavarria, Founder and Executive Director of Columbia Community Care Inc.

Moderated by DEY Executive Director Denisha Jones, these dialogues aim to inspire and reaffirm our dedication to protecting and nurturing childhood. Join us in this important mission of defending childhood and advocating for the well-being of society's youngest members.

The Bank Street Education Center’s Early Childhood Education team is excited to announce that we are recruiting for the fourth cohort of our Early Childhood Policy Fellowship. This 12-month leadership program, beginning January 2026, welcomes early childhood systems leaders at the federal, state, and local levels who are working to build equitable, high-quality early care and education systems across the country. The application is open until October 31.  

For more information visit their website.

Congratulations to our September Mini Grant Recipients:

• Kennedy Edwine Onyango, Kenya
• Lwanga Deus, Uganda



Applications are due by December 1st for our next round of mini-grants!

Have you signed up to receive our Threat Watch Alert? In an effort to support collective efforts to resist cuts to programs that serve many young children and their families, we have created a new Threat Watch Alert. You can sign up below to stay up to date regarding urgent developments—whether it's harmful legislation, budget cuts, or shifts in quality standards.