Community Conversation: Raising Young Children in a Pandemic

PAACT: Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive is a citywide alliance working to support high-quality early learning, education, and the healthy development of Atlanta’s youngest citizens.

PAACT invites Atlanta-based families and caregivers of young children to join the Community Conversation: Raising Young Children in a Pandemic. This space is for parents and caregivers to share their needs and experiences raising young children in Atlanta, including various equity gaps in access to child care, healthcare, and other resources that promote thriving children. Let’s share the joys and challenges of raising young children in Atlanta.

We’ll kickoff with a panel discussion featuring leaders of some of Atlanta’s most engaged community based organizations and nonprofits. Following the panel discussion, families and caregivers will be able to share their personal experiences on how they, their community, and their employers have made adjustments to accommodate their needs during this unprecedented public health challenge.

The ideas and questions from this conversation will inform recommendations designed to ensure a stronger, brighter future for all young children and those who care for them. Your voice, experiences, and ideas are central to creating and improving and equitable supports for young children and families in Atlanta, now and in the future.

All registered participants will be eligible for a gift card giveaway.

Click here to register.

PANELISTS

Maria Armstrong is co-founder of Raising Expectations. For 22 years, Raising Expectations has provided impactful youth development programming for youth in Atlanta communities that include Decatur, East Lake, Pittsburgh, Vine City, English Avenue, Washington Park and the Westside of Atlanta. It is unique among out-of-school time (OST) programs in that it is longitudinal in its relationship with students. Students begin their relationship with Raising Expectations as middle school students and continue as they matriculate through secondary and embark upon their post-secondary plans.

Kenneth Braswell is the Chief Executive Officer of Fathers Incorporated, a widely recognized national and international nonprofit organization supporting fathers, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers that provides capacity building services to thousands of organizations working to ensure that fathers contribute to the healthy well-being of their children

Kimberly Dukes is the co-founder and leader of Atlanta Thrive. Atlanta Thrive is a parent-driven organization that empowers families to disrupt inequities in the education system. They offer training and development to parents and grandparents who are passionate about all children receiving an excellent education.

Brittany Collins (Moderator) is the Director of PAACT: Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive. She is a trusted, strategic advisor and equitable education advocate with over 10 years of experience in urban public education, community development, and the non- profit sector.