Considering Your Capacity

The issues that affect young children and their families as well as the early childhood care and education field that fuel my passion include homelessness, early childhood quality care and education awareness, funding cuts, child poverty, and access to quality care and education for all children.  All of these issues touch my heart deeply and have impacted me in some way so that I am passionate about advocating for solutions.

The knowledge, skills, dispositions, and / or talents that I feel I possess that will contribute to my advocacy work are: being knowledgeable about child development and quality programs, being organized, being knowledgeable about my local community resources, passionate, and persistent.  It has been said that I can be like a dog with a bone....this may not be a bad quality for an advocate. : )  




The ways that I hope to grow in order to be a more effective advocate is to learn more about how to network and make better connections to achieve the goals within the field and for children and families that I am striving to achieve.  I feel this is the one area in which I am lacking and that I must learn how to network in order to be a better advocate.

My Role As An Advocate

What motivated you to start advocating for very young children?

When I began my journey into the early childhood field my three young children were my biggest motivation.  When my children were very young I was a single mother who was struggling to go back to school and obtain early child care and education for my girls.  After I entered into the early childhood field my motivation remained my children but began to include the families high-quality early childhood care and education programs serve.  I have seen as well as experienced the impact that the early childhood field has on families. 

Why is it essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro level as well as the macro level?

I believe it is essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro and macro levels so that both levels can partner and collaborate together to create high-quality programs and services for young children and their families.  The micro level must feel acknowledged and know that they are being heard and appreciated while the macro level must have a clear understanding of the needs of young children and their families.

What does it take to be a community leader on early childhood issues?

To be a community leader on early childhood issues it takes passion, persistence, commitment, and openness to work with a diverse group of individuals and organizations.  Community leaders must be able to communicate well with diverse groups and individuals, build relationships, and be persistent in their efforts to educate their community on the importance of early childhood issues.  They must also be passionate about the issues that affect young children and their families. 

What resources does it take to be a State leader on early childhood issues?

The resources that a State leader on early childhood issues need include funding, advocacy networks, professional organizations, and communication skills.  State leaders on early childhood issues must partner with preschools, teachers, professional organization, early childhood programs, and parents to ensure that they have a full understanding of the needs at the local levels.

What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?

Tactics or strategies that I utilize to mobilize others include sharing email alerts from professional organizations, sharing information on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and meeting with other professionals to share ideas for advocating. 

What advice would you give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocacy for young children and their families?

Advice that I would give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocacy for young children and their families is to remember that their will be challenges, that sometimes your views may not be popular, and that you must maintain site of your long term goal: providing quality programs and services for all young children and their families.  I would also advice them to stay current on legislative policies and legislation that affect young children and their families, and to build relationships with community leaders.  It is important to remember that change does not come easily but in the end it is well worth the work.  In the words of Herbert Hoover: "Children are our most valuable resource." 

Personal Advocacy Reflection

Eight years ago when I moved to Indiana I was a single mother with two small children.  I enrolled my children into the local Head Start program.  I remember the day Ms. Cheryl contacted me and told me they were both accepted into the program.  Ms. Cheryl took the time to talk to me and build a relationship with me after my girls were enrolled.  She encouraged me to create a goal for myself and my family.  The goal I created was to continue my education.  Ms. Cheryl was always available for support and guidance.  She did not take over or make any of the phone calls for me that I needed to make but rather gave me the tools to do these things myself.  She offered to let me use the computer and phones at the local Center, followed up with me on my progress and celebrated my successes with me.

Years, later when my son was born and it was clear by the age of 2 that he had hearing and speech issues it was again Ms. Cheryl who assisted me in getting him services and entering into Head Start when he turned three.  When it was clear that my son would need his teachers to use sign language in order to communicate it was again Ms. Cheryl who advocated for the teachers in his classroom to learn and utilize sign language.  She brought in materials for the teachers as well as for my family and ensured that he would be able to communicate with staff and his teachers.

Without Ms. Cheryl's support and encouragement I am not sure that I would have continued my education or even be where I am today.  I also believe that my son would have had a much harder time communicating with his teaches and the staff at the local program with out Ms. Cheryl.  I am sure that if you asked her she would not consider herself an advocate at all but she truly assisted me and my family in becoming self-reliant.

The impact that Ms. Cheryl's advocacy efforts had on me and my family inspired me to pursue Public Policy and Advocacy as my Specialization when pursuing my Master's Degree.  She also inspired me to pursue my current position as an Early Head Start Home Visitor which allows me to personally interact and impact the lives of young children and families.  I only hope that I can touch some one's life as much as Ms. Cheryl has touched my families.

Tools for Policy Makers and Advocates - Week 1

I look forward to learning more about the tools and strategies that advocates can use to impact policies and change within their own communities and the early childhood field.  I believe everyone can make a difference and that together we can have a tremendous impact. 

I believe strongly that all children deserve high-quality comprehensive care and education.  I have worked in Head Start / Early Head Start for the past five years and have been fortunate enough to see the impact these programs have on families and young children.  In fact, Head Start is the reason I decided to go back to school and continue my own education. 

I hope that I can have an impact in my own community and can continue to grow and learn more about Public Policy and Advocacy.