It's not too late to subscribe to our Reflective Practitioner Series and join the Childhood Protector's Hub led by DEY National Advisor Kisa Marx. As a subscriber, you will get access to the six video lessons and reflective workbook Kisa created, and you can join the December Zoom discussion! Check out these clips from Kisa's videos and subscribe today!

Our next DEY Dialogue will air live on our Facebook page at 10:30 am Friday, November 22nd. Denisha talks with Carla Shalaby about her Love Letter to Children on the Day After. Have you listened to our previous DEY Dialogues? You can find each episode from our new series here!

We invited our DEY National Advisors to make short introductory videos. Take a few minutes to get to know our amazing group of early childhood practitioners, advocates, and scholars. To learn more about our National Advisors, read their bios here.

Kaliris Y. Salas-Ramirez

Associate Professor, Rutgers University – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

James St.Clair



Retired Kindergarten Teacher

We at DEY would like to take a moment to pay tribute to Ella Jenkins, the First Lady of Children's Music. Below, we share memories and photos from DEY Board Member Blakely Bundy and National Advisor Susan Linn, who were fortunate to meet Ella Jenkins during her 100-year career as one of the most iconic folk musicians of the 20th century.

My collaboration with Ella Jenkins goes way, way back, I’m proud to say. First of all, she sang and presented at many Chicago Metro AEYC conferences, going back to the 1980s, at least. As I held several offices, including president of Chicago Metro AEYC, I was able to spend quite a bit of time with her between her performances. What a lovely, wonderful, genuine person she was who truly cared for what was best for young children! Then, she presented several times at TV Tune Out and Screen Break events for the Alliance for Early Childhood on the North Shore of Chicago. It's always a huge hit! She also was involved with the Chicago Children’s Museum, where I serve on the Board of Directors. And, finally, as Denisha remembers, we used her wonderful music as an intro to one or more of our Defending the Early Years Summer Institutes. And how our participants loved hearing her music once again. Rest in peace, Ella. We honor you! ~Blakely Bundy

I was fortunate enough to appear with Ella Jenkins on an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood. I knew and loved her music, as well as her wonderful way with children, so it felt like a real honor to be on the show with her. What an extraordinary talent! ~Susan Linn

Our next Banned Book Club feature is Worm Loves Worm written by J. J. Austrain and illustrated by Mike Curato. DEY National Advisor Heather Bernt Santy features this book as an important story about family, community, and belonging that all young children should hear. You can find all of our Banned Book Club features here! Want to join the DEY Banned Book Club and make a feature? Send an email to denishajones@dey.org!

In the midst of political uncertainty, DEY is committed to our fight for just, equitable, and quality early childhood education and care for every young child. In these unsettled times raising young children to be creative, active, and open-minded participants of society has become more critical than ever. We hope that you will join our mission and consider donating to DEY this Giving Tuesday, December 3rd. Thanks to a generous donor, all donations made for Giving Tuesday through the end of the year will be matched, so double your donation today!

Check out our Advocacy Spotlight, a series dedicated to highlighting advocacy efforts around the country to advance early childhood education.

Visit our Advocacy Map to view more advocacy efforts. Do you know of early childhood advocacy happening in your community? Add it to our Advocacy Map!