Reaffirming Our Commitment to Racial Equity
| Yet again, the Center of Excellence for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and our overall Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development are heartbroken and enraged about the alarming rise of hate and violence in our country directed toward people of color. During the past two weeks in Minneapolis, Honolulu, & Chicago and this past month in Atlanta, this violence was directed against members of the Black, Latinx, Asian American, & Pacific Islander community and resulted in the murders of Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, Anthony Alvarez, Iremamber Sykap, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Soon Chung Park, and Yong Ae Yue. We mourn with their families, friends, communities, and allies. We condemn all racially-based violence. We recognize that violence of this kind emerges from and is supported by systemic racism. Systems of oppression occur at multiple levels, are often unnoticed, and are implicitly condoned by those who support white supremacy. It is the responsibility of those of us with personal and institutional power and privilege to make an intentional and lifetime commitment to promoting racial equity. We are committed to serving marginalized communities in D.C., nationally, and internationally, with explicit focus on early childhood, behavioral health, reproductive health, individuals with disabilities, cultural competence, and gender. At this moment, we as a community are engaging in self-reflection as an organization both internally and programmatically. Our pledge is to be more intentional about tackling racism, racial injustice, and conducting our work with a racial equity lens. Join us in our upcoming efforts in this work to advance equity: |
| New IECMHC E-Learning Modules: The Center of Excellence is pleased to announce the release of two new e-learning modules developed to help IECMH Consultants build knowledge and skills on the core competencies of IECMHC. This month’s modules highlight the core competency areas: Reflective Practice and Equity and Cultural Sensitivity Access the Foundational Modules |  |
 | Equity Chat on the Consultative Stance & Systemic Racism Date: Monday, April 19, 2021 3:00 PM EDT Studies suggest that Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation can be an effective equity practice. The Equity Chat next week will offer an opportunity to explore the mechanisms that make this possible. Specifically we will ponder how the consultant’s way of being – the Consultative Stance – contributes to dismantling structural racism and other forms of oppression and supports equitable treatment of young children and their families. Presenters include CoE faculty & partners, Dr. Kadija Johnston & Dr. Eva Marie Shivers. |
| Culture, Identity, and History as Sources of Strength and Resilience for Asian American & Pacific Islander Children and Families Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2021 2:00 PM EDT Join us in May, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, for the fifth webinar in our Equity in Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation series focused on Asian American & Pacific Islander Children & Families. During this webinar, presenters will examine issues of racialized inequities and bias on the early care and education experiences for Asian American & Pacific Islander children and families, explore a strength-based approach to fostering culturally responsive relationships, and identify and explore practices and policies to strengthen cultural responsiveness in IECMHC in order to reduce disparities and support children’s healthy development and learning. |  |