2021 BU Wheelock Forum

Human Potential Transformed: Social Justice and Equity in the Early Years

March 31–April 1, 2021

This event has ended, but check out recordings of our featured sessions.

BU Wheelock and the BU Center for Ecology of Early Education (CEED) hosted the 2021 BU Wheelock Forum, Human Potential Transformed: Social Justice and Equity in the Early Years. Researchers, advocates, policymakers, practitioners, alumni, students, community partners, and friends interested in early education were welcome. Together, we explored the impact of social justice and equity on young children’s early learning and healthy development in the Greater Boston area, Massachusetts, and beyond.

Agenda

Wednesday, March 31

Welcome
Stephanie M. Curenton, BU Wheelock and CEED

Introductory Remarks
Dean David Chard, BU Wheelock

Learning about the BU’s Faculty Alliance and Early Childhood Wellbeing Institute
Speakers: Amanda Tarullo, BU and Felicity Crawford, BU Wheelock
Moderator: Megina Baker, BU Wheelock

Overview of Early Childhood Care and Education in Massachusetts and Greater Boston University
Speaker: Amy O’Leary, Strategies for Children
Moderator: Nneka Ibekwe-Okafor, CEED

Speaker: Congresswoman Katherine Clark (video greeting)
Moderator: Jacqueline Sims, CEED

Speaker: Michelle Wu, Boston City Council
Moderator: Ruth Paris, BU School of Social Work

“Mommy, Why Is He So Dark?” —Are You Ready for the Conversation?
Speaker: JuanCarlos Arauz, E3: Education, Excellence, and Equity
Moderator: Peter Rockers, BU School of Public Health

Virtual Poster Presentation Breakout Rooms

  1. Determinants of School Readiness among Preterm Children—Genevieve Guyol, Boston Children’s Hospital and BU School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center
  2. Creating Welcoming Environments for Young Children with Gender Expansive Behavior and/or Identity and for Families and Staff of all Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities—Ellie Friedland, BU Wheelock
  3. Representation in Early Childhood: Beyond Books—Sara Yessenow and Zeba McGibbon, Intentional Early Learning Consulting, and Nermeen Dashoush, BU Wheelock
  4. The Relationship Between Sign Duration and Iconicity—Paris Gappmayr
  5. Validity of the Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale-Revised (ACSES-Revised)—Gullnar Syed, Stephanie M. Curenton, and Shana Rochester, BU Wheelock

DAY 2: Thursday, April 1

Opening Session
Stephanie M. Curenton

Speaker: Dr. Brenda Cassellius, Boston Public Schools
Moderator: Jeri Robinson

Virtual Poster Presentation Breakout Rooms (choose one)

  1. Models of Musical Activism & Support for Kids—Liz Stookey Sunde(‘SSW), Music to Life
  2. Race: A Lie That Went Around the World —Celeste Finn, Early Childhood Program
  3. Massachusetts Public Schools: A Concerning and Variable Landscape as it Relates to Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Access Relative to Culture and Religion in the Early Years—Priya Phillips, BU Parent, Volunteer, and Advocate
  4. Boston’s Rapid Response to Early Education and Care: Leveraging Research, Partnerships, and Direct Services to Inform Policy in a Pandemic—Pratima Patil, Boston Opportunity Agenda and BU Wheelock Doctoral Student, Alexandra Valdez, Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement, and Ashley White, City of Boston Economic Mobility Lab

Speaker: Andrea Campbell, Boston City Council (video greeting)

“Flash Talk” Presentations (open session in main Zoom room)

  1. Mirrored Reflections: How Do Racially Affirming Books Socialize Black Children around Race?—Keshia L. Harris, BU; Shana E. Rochester, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  2. Effects of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Education Centers: Descriptive Evidence from Boston’s Universal Prekindergarten Initiative—Paola Guerrero Rosada, Annie Taylor, and Christine Weiland
  3. Assessing Education Data to Understand the Intersection of Homelessness and Disability in Massachusetts children—Eric Rubenstein, BU School of Public Health
  4. Black Families’ Experiences of Racism and Discrimination, Access to Material Resources, and Black Children’s Behavioral Functioning During COVID-19—Nneka Ibekwe-Okafor, CEED

Flash Talk Follow-up Breakout Rooms

ROOM 1: Mirrored Reflections: How do Racially Affirming Books Socialize Black Children around Race?

ROOM 2: Effects of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Education Centers: Descriptive Evidence from Boston’s Universal Prekindergarten Initiative

ROOM 3: Assessing Education Data to Understand the Intersection of Homelessness and Disability in Massachusetts children

ROOM 4: Black Families’ Experiences of Racism and Discrimination, Access to Material Resources, and Black Children’s Behavioral Functioning During COVID-19

Mayor Kim Janey, City of Boston (video greeting)

“Meet & Greet” Breakout Rooms

  1. Child & Youth Policy Certificate—Keshia Harris
  2. Education for Equity & Democracy—Felicity Crawford
  3. New BU Wheelock Transdisciplinary Master’s Program in Leadership, Advocacy, and Policy for Early Childhood Well-Being—Karen Murphy and Ellie Friedland
  4. Nurtury Early Education—Laura Perille and Stephanie Johnson
  5. Epiphany Early Learning Center—Michelle Sanchez
  6. Lucy Legacy Foundation—Carol Sullivan-Hanley

Early Education and Care in Massachusetts: Rebuilding Better Together
Speaker: Samantha Aigner-Treworgy, Commissioner, Massachusetts Early Education and Care
Moderator: Amy O’Leary, Strategies for Children

Virtual Poster Presentation Breakout Rooms

  1. Hearing Parents Learning ASL: The Relationship Between Available Resources, Beliefs, and Parent ASL Skill—Elana Pontecorvo and Amy Lieberman, BU Wheelock
  2. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Daily Practice of Child Life Specialists—Emilia Crnjak and Lauren Dulude, Boston Children’s Hospital, Child Life Department
  3. Reframing Community Engagement—Ronda Alexander, Boston Medical Center, Vital Village
  4. Praxis in ECE: Creating and Sustaining a Culture and Practice of Community-Led Civic Research Partnerships—Kimberly Lucas, MetroLab Network

Liberation, Legacy, Winnie the Pooh
Speaker: Tanya Nixon-Silberg, Little Uprisings
Moderator: Taylor Goyette-Frechette (Wheelock’17, SSW’20), Mass General Brigham

Featured Speakers

  • Samantha Aigner-Treworgy, Massachusetts Commissioner of Early Education and Care
  • Dr. Brenda Cassellius, Superintendent, Boston Public Schools
  • U.S. Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA)
  • Tanya Nixon-Silberg, Founder, Little Uprisings
  • Amy O’Leary, Director, Early Education for All, Strategies for Children
  • Michelle Wu, Boston City Councilor