Dear friend of 4Cs,

With February halfway over and Black History Month in full swing, I encourage you to learn – and share – about the stories and triumphs of Black people in our country. This Black History Month I took some time to dive deeper into my knowledge of the essential roles that Black women have had on child care in America for hundreds of years. From the beginnings of slavery of Black men and women to the Black Women’s Clubs at the turn of the 19th century and the reality that the child care field remains racially inequitable – even within ECE spaces – today, the history of child care is rooted in racism. The more I learned and was reminded about all that has changed in the ECE world – and all that remains eerily familiar to our past – the more I find myself embracing my family’s history and roots and wanting to share from the rooftops about all of the work that needs to be done to right so many wrongs. Many folks deep in the work of Early Care and Education know that the work of caring, nurturing, and teaching our youngest kids has rested on the shoulders of underpaid (or not paid at all), overworked, and underappreciated Black and Brown women for generations. I am personally and professionally grateful for their investment in my life and the lives of so many others. I am also committed to not allowing the perceived protection of objectivity keep me from presenting truth. This Black History Month I will be refocusing my leadership lens on racial equity as we climb out of a pandemic. What does that look like for the work of 4Cs? What does that look like for Alameda County’s ECE work? And what might that look like for you in your work or with your children? I welcome you to join me on this journey of learning and sharing about Black history this month and every month. 
 

Be well,
 
Renee S. Herzfeld
Chief Executive Officer