June 2022 Newsletter

Greetings!

June is a month in which we reflect upon and celebrate Freedom: Pride month and Juneteenth.

As I reflect on my own life experiences, only in my wildest imagination can I picture what "freedom" might have meant to my ancestors. 

Earlier this month, to commemorate Memorial day, I went with my mother to lay flowers at my ancestors' graves. One of them was my Great-Great-Grandmother's resting place. She was born in 1865. I wondered if or how her parents celebrated Emancipation. I wondered what her parents’ dreams were for her as a child. I wondered if in their wildest imagination, they thought about what their children's children would be able to realize as free people. 

Could my Great-Great-Grandmother have imagined that I would be leading an initiative to expand education to young children in our community? 

The community asked us to bring this historic measure to life, and with that comes the responsibility to build an initiative that takes into account the systemic inequities that are a legacy of the enslavement of Black people. A major step in working to make Preschool for All more inclusive has been prioritizing families who experience barriers to preschool for the first slots.

In this first year, we received almost 1100 applications from families. 69% of the family applications were for children who identified as Black, Indigenous or People of Color. Please keep reading below for more details on family applications.  

I believe that a preschool system that creates the freedom for Black providers to be successful, for families to have early education options that meet their needs, and where children are celebrated for who they are would have exceeded my ancestors' wildest imaginations.   

Sincerely, 

*We collect inclusive demographic information and families are able to select multiple race/ethnicity categories. For this reason, the percentages in the chart add up to more than 100%.  

The Early Link Podcast by Children's Institute Interview with Leslee Barnes

Listen to hear Leslee share updates about Preschool for All

Preschool for All Community Meeting

This quarterly meeting is for community partners interested in learning more about our work and progress. 

Register here: Tuesday, July 19th, 2:30-3:30 pm

Preschool for All Advisory Committee Meeting

The Preschool for All Advisory Committee meets quarterly to provide high level guidance and feedback on initiative implementation. The next Advisory Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 27th from 10:30 am- 12:30 pm.

Please visit this page to learn more about the group. 

"Working in early childhood education taught me that we are taking the initiative to repair, transform, and build community. PFA is changing our society because this program is an open door to the wonder where childcare providers, teachers, and assistants will flourish. Parents and caregivers will have peace of mind instead of being worried about how they will pay for their children’s earlier education. The beauty of this program is that a diverse young generation will continue developing social skills and learning about their own talents at an earlier age."

PEL Staff: Sara Garcia Gonzalez

She, her, ella

Office Assistant Senior

What is Preschool for All (PFA)?

Voters in Multnomah County overwhelmingly supported “Preschool for All” on

Nov. 3, 2020 with over 64 percent of voters approving the measure.

Preschool for All will connect 3- and 4-year-olds in Multnomah County to

free, inclusive, culturally responsive preschool experiences.

The program will grow over time and families who have the least access to high-quality preschool will be prioritized for the first available slots.

The Preschool for All Plan is the framework for initiative implementation and it reflects more than two years of engagement with community members including parents, educators, culturally specific organizations, policy makers and early childhood specialists.