Our goal is to empower children to speak up, take risks and have the courage to learn. We aim to build deep, healthy relationships with African American families, and enable them to foster connection and communication with their young children.
A core part of our programming is to host peer-to-peer workshops to educate childcare providers to use resources to create a culturally-proficient, diverse and inclusive learning environment where African American students feel celebrated and proud.
Even micro instances of anti-Black racism can cause toxic stress in African American children. AACE is focused on training childcare providers to respond proactively to the effects race-based traumas, and know where to find resources/ and support when they cannot.
African American children are disproportionally sent out of the classroom for punishment, arrested or assaulted by law enforcement. AACE is committed to helping childcare providers recognize signs of discrimination and create non-punitive learning environments.
Children should not be singled out as a form of embarrassment or punishment, or threatened with law enforcement. Healthy forms of accountability should be explored with all children and bias for punishment of Black children should be checked vigorously.
This treatment is unfair and unacceptable, which is why ACE is committed to undoing bias against Black children, especially in cases where it has been allowed to exist in the past. We are starting in the classroom.
Have a question about non-punitive learning techniques or want to learn more about what else AAECE is working on?