CHALLENGING ANTI-BLACK RACISM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD ENVIRONMENTS
Early childhood educators play a critical role in the quality of early learning and child care and in setting the foundation for anti-racist and culturally responsive environments. Earlier work by a team at Mount Saint Vincent University and Dalhousie University identified that early childhood settings in Nova Scotia take a mainstream approach to curriculum, which negates the cultural identity of and creates unsafe environments for African Nova Scotian and Black educators, families, and children.
The results of this research also identified the Africentric Early Childhood Education diploma program at the Nova Scotia Community College as a community asset bringing strength to the early childhood sector in Nova Scotia to begin dismantling anti-Black racism.
A follow up project was led by Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac, Tier II Canada Research Chair in Early Childhood: Diversity and Transitions and Director of the Early Childhood Collaborative Research Centre at Mount Saint Vincent University and Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch who is Associate Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance, and Assistant Vice‑Provost Equity and Inclusion at Dalhousie University. Community partners were involved from the Nova Scotia Community College, East Preston Day Care Centre and Family Resource Centre, and YWCA.
The goal of this project was to understand how graduates of the Africentric early childhood education program are implementing Africentric principles and pedagogy in their early learning environments, and the further support they need. Results of this project will be released at an event on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
What: This event will showcase stories shared as part of a photovoice research project with early childhood educators who recently graduated from the Africentric Early Childhood Education Program at the Nova Scotia Community College.
The community event is open to all early childhood community members, including families and children. Event participants will be invited to view the results of the project and participate in a community brainstorming activity.
Who: Early Childhood Collaborative Research Centre (ECCRC) at Mount Saint Vincent University and the On These Shoulders Research Collaborative at Dalhousie University are co-hosting this event. Representatives at the event will include co-investigators Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac, Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch, and Crystal Watson (PhD student, Dalhousie University) and faculty from the Africentric Early Childhood Education program at the Nova Scotia Community College (Justin West and Moashella Shortte).
When: Thursday, November 21st at 6:30 p.m. (remarks at 7:00 p.m. and community brainstorm at 7:15)
Where: Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute (5450 Nora Bernard St – Halifax)
All are welcome.
Media interested in connecting with the researchers – either in advance of the event or onsite on November 21 – can contact Janice Osei-Essah (Janice.Osei-Essah@MSVU.CA).