WAEYC

WAEYC Virtual Training: Building a Pro-Indigenous and Pro-Black Preschool

What would it look like if we built a preschool that was Pro-Indigenous and Pro-Black? A place where our voices, our peace, our humanity wouldn’t have to be sought after because it’s already uplifted. A place where our minds, bodies, and souls can be at ease. A place where our dreams doesn’t shrivel up like a raisin in the sun. In this session, we’ll converse on what our schools could do (and stop doing) in order to remember life before colonization for our BIPOC children. Afterall, Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty doesn’t just have to be a poster on your wall…it can be a reality.

Mike Browne (he/him) is the Senior Director of Community Engagement for Cultivate Learning at the University at Washington. He’s a New York raised, Afro-Caribbean, former tap-dancer and collegiate athlete, working towards dismantling White Supremacy and forms of oppression in our society. After exchanging his tap and football shoes for a chance to live and work in London and Spain, he returned back to the states and to his passion of early learning as an educator, coach, and consultant. Bringing with him his sense for discovery, wonder, and awe, he addresses the social and political crisis in education and care that results in the physical and psychological harm of our youngest citizens. He co-hosts a podcast called “Napcast” (available on Spotify and Apple Music) with his buddy Nick Terrones (he/him) that explores the intersection of race, culture, and identity in ECE. He also co-hosts a podcast for the Office of Head Start titled “Parallel Play.” Check out his articles on Exchange Magazine and while you’re online, give him a follow him on Twitter @miguelitobrowne

Nick Terrones (he/him) is Mexican-Native American, a descendant of the Chumash people whose traditional lands span a large part of southern California. Nick has been in the Early Childhood field for over 14 years, 12 of those years working directly with toddlers and families as an infant-toddler educator and as a program director at Daybreak Star Preschool in Seattle, WA. Currently he is the Director of Community Relations at Rainier Valley Early Learning Campus (RVELC) at the University of Washington. Outside of the school setting, Nick is an active member in the World Forum Foundation on Early Care and Education’s Men in ECE leadership team. He seeks to recruit and retain men of color to the wonderful world of early learning, as well as provide opportunities for people to explore and unlearn their gender, racial, and cultural biases through pragmatic presentation and publishing. Nick co-hosts a podcast called “Napcast” (available on Spotify and Apple Music) with his buddy Mike Browne (he/him) that explores the intersection of race, culture, and identity in ECE.  Check out his book, A Can of Worms: Fearless Conversations with Toddlers through Exchange Press (https://www.childcareexchange.com).

Suggested donation of 5-10-15
$5 is ideal for students and working-class
$10 allows us to cover the costs of presenter fees
$15 enables us to provide ECE scholarships to those in our community

 

Date

Jun 21 2025

Time

9:00 am - 11:00 pm

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