WORDS FAIL ME... Here is the short statement we shared on Facebook following the death of George Floyd and the beginning of racial awakening in our country: We, at First 5 Monterey County, recognize that these past several weeks have made it painfully clear that there is still a lot of work for us all to do to root out the systemic inequities that persist in our society. You are seen and we are listening. Now is the time for intentional and meaningful action - action that reflects our shared humanity. We are committed to advancing a world where all belong and lifting up a community filled with love and respect for one another. For the most part though, I am literally speechless at the state of our nation at the moment and don't know how to best support families with small children during this time. So, I turned to a trusted source - Zero to Three and am pleased that their Executive Director Matthew E. Melmed recently issued a statement that says it perfectly. You can read the full statement here, but I'd like to specifically pull out the following parts: "The adverse impacts of racism begin prenatally and are present at birth. We see it all around us; in the very data we report on in our State of Babies Yearbook to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on communities of color. Like a virus, racism, and the hate, intolerance, and indifference it breeds, are highly contagious, spreading from person to person. And the trauma of hate, intolerance, and indifference also spread, from generation to generation. "We do what we do because we want every baby to have a strong start in life. To fulfill that mission, we must address the structural racism that creates huge economic and social disparities in our country so that where, and to whom, a baby is born does not determine their future." "Together let us reflect on the root causes of this national tragedy and use it to strengthen our collective effort to bend the arc of the moral universe towards justice. Let's make this a better world for babies." First 5 Monterey County wholeheartedly agrees that we can start the work within ourselves, as individuals and as an organization. We are redoubling our efforts addressing racial inequities so that one day (together) we can truly achieve the vision the community gave us that all children reach their unique potential in a family and community with strong values and respect for all. Zero to Three also has great resources on their website to remind us of the importance of supporting children after exposure to a traumatic event; that strong, caring and loving relationships can shield children from the impact of negative experiences, and they can be mutually healing; and that exercising self-care is critical during times like these. Also parents, you have the power to talk to children about racism and violence and The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a policy statement that talks about how racism harms children.
Francine Rodd,
First 5 Monterey County Executive Director |
