NBCDI SOAR Analysis with Quotes

NBCDI SOAR Analysis with Quotes

National Black Child Development Institute

SOAR Analysis for Strategic Articulation Map

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SOAR

Recurring Theme Recurrences

STRENGTHS

Advocating for and empowering Black children and families

23 Strength of advocating for and empowering Black families is on brand

We excel at being, unapologetically, the organization that advocates for black children and the empowerment of black families. That is our mission, that is our brand and that is our brand both locally and nationally.

STRENGTHS

Focus on Black children from various communities from the perspective of Black scholars

a continuous focus on black children. There is no other organization, in my knowledge, that focuses on black children and black families in the research that the organization supports, you can't find it. And the research is done by, as I think Ruby said, African American, Caribbean American, black scholars. We're not relying on someone else to tell us who we are, we are telling them from the perspective of black scholars and a national black organization.

STRENGTHS

Black family-focused organization / Creates a village for families Well relatedly I wanted to say that for me NBCDI was the village in which I raised my two children out in California in the so-called integrated context of California which was very similar to the integrated environment of the Deep South. Without BCDI we would not have made it. It was the family, it was the old man in the chair philosopher, it was the historian, it was our place without which we really would have been up somebody's creek. Timely response to addressing issues that impact Black families The other strength that just always sticks in my mind is that, when there is a pressing issue, a timely issue, I feel like NBCDI is right there on it. Like whether, for example, the issue of preschool expulsion, for example, they play such a powerful leadership role on pressing issues impacting black families. And when something happens, they are just right out there with, not only just like, "This just happened. Here's our response." Convening then, policy leaders and thought leaders to think about how do we best address this. So I feel like very timely and important thought leadership around pressing issues facing black families.

STRENGTHS

STRENGTHS

Pushing and advocating for policy and identifying policy that needs to be championed (for Black families and children)

From my perspective, I think one of the things that they really excel at has to be around their policy, around pushing policy and advocating for policy and identifying policy that needs to be championed. I think that, that particular area, we've experienced the most consistent communication from... And it seemed like a real effort to really try and pull the affiliates together, and disseminating the information, as well. Of course, there are always things that we can do better. But, from where I sit, I think, in my experience thus far, that's been the one thing that really, really excelled at. I think the strength, especially since I've been here, and even before, has been really a delighting portion, getting the messaging out for Black children and Black families. And specifically, now, I think one of our core strengths which has really been developed over the last year and half, is our national affiliate network. Continuing to have them be uplifted, because, before, they were more of just an attachment to us. But really working with them and strengthening them, we have members who are stronger than others. But many of the affiliate members are able to establish themselves and really grow on their own. Their wings have really not been clipped. They have been growing. They have been soaring. So the more that we continue to push them, the better that we are, but also the better that they are. So that has been a really great addition to strength, over the last, I would say, probably 16 months. I think just, especially working here, just the work that we do. The advocacy for Black children and Black families is something that, if I couldn't be proud of that, working with policy, advocating for them, then, this shouldn't be the place that anybody should work for. I think, first and foremost, that's the message that we want to continue to get out there, is that we want those to think of, when you are thinking of Black children, families, really dealing with Black issues, even though we may not touch all Black issues, we want those, especially within our work, whether it's state legislators, congressional members, anyone who is dealing in that work, to think of NBCDI, and I think that's one of the most proud. Probably the proudest thing I can say about the work is just literally trying to do our best to shape the lives of the future, of Black families, how we're looking at them from the health standpoint, from the educational standpoint, and for their future in education, how they are moving forward. So I would say that's probably the proudest I am, because, any time I'm able to say, "Hey, I work with National Black Child Development Institute," people automatically know what that is. But even if I have to explain it, most people are able to fall in line with it, because it's an easy way to get people on board, literally by saying, "Hey, what I do is help Black families every day."

STRENGTHS

Excels as getting information to affiliates and community about issues related to Black families and children

STRENGTHS

Advocating via direct service/programs and systems levels/policy work to address the needs of Black families and children

STRENGTHS

Addressing systemic issues that impact Black children and families (CHAT) Taking on both the systemic changes that are needed to support Black children and families and creating programs that reach individual families and children to ensure they have positive reflections of themselves (Being Black is Not a Risk Factor)

STRENGTHS

Being hyper focused on Black children and families

(CHAT) Proud of NBCDI for putting our desire to strengthen and improve our communities/schools/families for the betterment of Black children in the title of our organization-we are unapologetically and unequivocally advocating for Black children

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National Black Child Development Institute

SOAR Analysis for Strategic Articulation Map

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SOAR

Recurring Theme Recurrences

STRENGTHS

Excels advocacy work that the organization does and moving initiatives forward

I've always been very impressed with the advocacy work that the organization does. And I think [inaudible 00:03:51] Ray has led a lot of those efforts around advancing our initiatives with key policy people and legislatures. So I think those are great. And I also love that we are the only national organization with affiliate chapters that focuses on black children and families. So those are probably the three biggest things that resonate with me. I think it goes back to an organization dedicated specifically to black children and naming that and saying that and being that. It's not about children dot, dot, dot living in from it's black children. And so I think that that makes the organization very special and authentic. I think they excel at being a recognized voice for Black children and families in the social services sector, in the early childhood education sector. And in that regard, they are looked to for sort of being the lead password on high quality content, for programs, on positions, regarding in the advocacy arena, regarding how communities should be supporting Black populations. The organization is an advocacy organization, and so I think initially Evelyn's intent was to have a presence on Capitol Hill, and she was able to do that as an individual, but I just don't think that its ... Its policy impact is not really through its presence on Capitol Hill so much as it is through the work of the affiliates in major cities across the US, keeping policy makers aware that there is an organization that represents the voice of Black children and families. I think it's unique in that it focuses on young children. There are other organizations that focus on, in general, the welfare of the Black community, and they may be focused on voting, getting our communities more engaged in voting, or they focus on the economic status of Black families. And so they're trying to get jobs and better housing and so forth. We focus on children. And as such, we are known, I guess, really as advocates for early childhood education. High quality, early childhood education. But we've also done work around foster care and adoption, and being the voice for Black families adopting and participating in foster care for Black kids in the foster care system. We worked on adolescent issues in terms of helping students and families consider college. We had a program for probably 15, 20 years called Entering the College Zone. And it wasn't so much focused on young kids as it was focused on education, but still it was focused on eighth graders and helping them and their parents understand that getting on the college track is something you have to do early, not just at the end of your senior year, choosing a college you want to go to. But entering that zone means you have to be cognizant of the coursework you take in high school, and you have to talk about college as a realistic goal for your kids. And so I would say the wellbeing of Black children in the education arena is our real niche. So I think historically it was to lift and elevate the brilliance of black children. The attention to black children. You know, it was intentional when Evelyn founded it. That it was based a lot on the possibilities that were capped for black children historically, where she came from as the Perry preschool teacher. Just saying if these resources and there's an equitable late playing field and we prioritize their strengths, the results are what we expect. For them to be competitive, for them to be prepared, for them to be ready. But, in this seventies it looked very different. From the civil rights movement then there was a gap of no attention. So I think it continues to have a voice to lift the experiences, the excellence, the possibilities of black children and their families. I think over the years, it's been really grounded on the advocacy. It was intentional around the affiliates to really be able to lift the stories and not see black people in a monolithic, defined bottle, but really to escalate the dynamics of the culture and the perspective and the history and the legacy of where children are, like the context of where they live. So I think NBCDI continues to bring the collective stories from across our country and how it looks and how different policies in different cities and different work looks different. And I think that continues to be their strength. And I think again, NBCDI remains the only national organization intentionally focused on black children. And we need to be able to have a place where black excellence can report our black excellence. And I think that continues with the strength of the legacy, with the strength of the voice, all of those things, a big push and the affiliates are like the mastermind behind that. Because they're the footprint. NBCDI sits in the building. It used to be DC, now Maryland, but the collective voices comes from the strength. They are the touch points. And I think the affiliates on and off during the years have had, I won't say attention, but different elevations. And I think that is an enormous elevation point possibility to bring them back. And not that they ever disappeared, but just the connection to the national office is really critical. Because the day to day lives of black people is not experienced by the national office. It just isn't. And without them being able to be that voice, to be that authentic resource for us, NBCDI I think that's critical. So I think there's strengths and just the history of those pieces that should continue and think about elevated moving forward. So hopefully that was helpful.

STRENGTHS

Being focused on Black children and families

STRENGTHS

Recognized voice - as an advocacy organization - for Black children and families in the social services sector, in the early childhood education sector

STRENGTHS

Focusing on young Black children - education, foster care, adolescent issues, track to higher ed - while other organizations focus on the welfare of Black communities as a whole

STRENGTHS

Legacy and ability to remain relevant for as long as it has, which being dedicated to addresses impacting Black children and families (specifically)

STRENGTHS

Advocating for Black children and families by continuing to amplify their needs and their voices

I think over the years, it's been really grounded on the advocacy. It was intentional around the affiliates to really be able to lift the stories and not see black people in a monolithic, defined bottle, but really to escalate the dynamics of the culture and the perspective and the history and the legacy of where children are, like the context of where they live. So I think NBCDI continues to bring the collective stories from across our country and how it looks and how different policies in different cities and different work looks different. And I think that continues to be their strength

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National Black Child Development Institute

SOAR Analysis for Strategic Articulation Map

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SOAR

Recurring Theme Recurrences

STRENGTHS

Community Building

8 Excels with its meaningful community programs, supported and, in some cases, sustained by local affiliates

I think it excels at having programs in the community. It is community focused through the affiliates and I think that is, right now today, I think that is the strength of the organization. And I think through the affiliates we've carried out programs that I believe in some cases, early programs are still being sustained by the affiliates. So, meaningful programs, reading programs, nutrition programs and those types of things that are based in the community and supported by the local affiliates. We're a network that actually builds future leaders and most of us have been mentored by other folks who have been at the helm of NBCDI and the other piece I want to say is that we're strong advocates locally for issues at raise and we've actually got support from NBCDI national but we've raised our voices to change things that are affecting our children in our community and families. Another important strength is that NBCDI has validated what we had done in our communities. So when we would go to conferences and meet on a state level, we knew that we were standing on the shoulders of some powerful people that validated what we were doing. And we've been fighting the good fight and we continue to fight the good fight. I mean with this kindergarten to prison pipeline we are holding fast to make sure our children do not continue this process. My thought and statement will always be as we stand on the shoulders of our elders we are lifting as we climb. That's important that we lift as we climb so that our elders know and our next generation know that we're working for the good of all. And that's what NBCDI means to me. Well their conferences and the ability to bring together a range of black and brown individuals who don't necessarily have consensus, but see the elephant from different sides. It's certainly a strength for me. I think it's one of the few places you'll go and I've done NAYC and other conferences, where you'll see that number of black and brown people, not just committed to early learning by the way, but to whole family. Because they do things around criminal justice, they do things around early learning. And when we talk about equity, that's such a critical factor. We can't be silo focused on early learning without attention to the communities and the families and the structures in which these families have to live and do live and the strengths they bring. Which is the second point, is that they really tried, although I think we can always deepen the work to say, black is not a risk factor, which is their term, but I think we've got to continue to do more to identify what that non-risk looks like, what those strengths look like, make black families more visible to others. their conference is just really remarkable in addition to bringing together diverse leaders. What I think is really interesting, it's like diverse stakeholders across fields. So you have business leaders, you have early educators, it's a really, in addition to bringing together black and brown leaders, I feel like they do such a remarkable job of, it's so cross sector. Well, it's really involving a range of sectors in thinking about black families in just a very powerful way. So, I feel like that's such a huge strength of theirs. (CHAT) Strengths: Echoing the importance of our affiliate network propelling the work of supporting black children and families nationwide. Creating policies and programs that are community specific. Being on the front lines of history and being a changemaker in collaboration with parents and educators. Well, of course it's leaning into black leaders intentionally. Reaching out to black communities and having those relationships. I think a lot of people now, because it's popular to do, are talking about equity, they're talking about diversification, but NBCDI really tries to lean into the equity idea that they're trying to shift policy and practice so it better benefit black and brown children. Which is different than just being diverse or different than just including voices. And I think they try to demonstrate it from the board through who the affiliates are, which is tough to do. And they have also in recent years, although I haven't heard as much about the progress, recognized that they've got to join with other population and Latino population, I think they working with Latino Policy Council or others, to try to look at the intersectionality across races that the silo works, but it also needs to be connected. I was just noticing what (was shared) in the chat about authenticity and action. And I feel like that builds so nicely on what(was) just said. And is just so powerful and so true about who (NBCDI is) and what (it does). And I feel like, also to (another's) point, as more and more organizations start talking about diversity, equity, inclusion, NBCDI has been the stronghold in this for years. This is who they are. They are authenticity in action. And what's been really just, I think wonderful about them, I mean, I'm just remembering a conversation we had with them last summer about thinking about this diversity in children's books initiative. And we were thinking about whether or not we could do a distribution of diverse books through their affiliates. And they said, "Yes, that's great. And..." Which is what I love about them, is this can't be a one-off. Like, how are we thinking about sustain commitment to this issue? And how do we build that? (cont.) And what I love about them is it is exactly that, like (was) said, it's authenticity in action. It's like, "This isn't going to be a one time project. Check, one and done." This is about building a movement. This is about thinking about long term systemic change. And the way they think about that and approach that, I mean, it's just so thoughtful and smart and it just is, it's a sustained commitment to the issues. [crosstalk 00:13:24] They bring partners along with them.

STRENGTHS

Builds future leaders, mentors community members, and advocates for and supports community

STRENGTHS

Validates work done in the community

STRENGTHS

NBCDI conferences help build partner and individual relationships and provides an opportunity for critical thinking and consensus among the different groups and individuals that attend

STRENGTHS

Great at bringing diverse stakeholders together to think about and discuss the impacts to Black children and families

STRENGTHS

Excels at affiliates network, Policy Work, Community-specifc Programming

STRENGTHS

Leading on race, equity and inclusion

3 Reaching out to Black leaders and working with other marginalized communities to understand intersectional impacts

STRENGTHS

Commitment to DEI in NBCDI programs and relationships and systemic change

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National Black Child Development Institute

SOAR Analysis for Strategic Articulation Map

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SOAR

Recurring Theme Recurrences

STRENGTHS

Promoting culturally relevant authors and content

(CHAT) Promoting black authors and culturally relevant literature

STRENGTHS

Organization and mission sustainability and

12 Resilience

Resilience.

STRENGTHS

Ability to sustain the community

...and I'll add(to the participant's statement) that they excel at keeping this organization alive for 50 years. So, from Ms. Evelyn on down the chain, whatever was done, they survived and kept it going. And now we still have an organization to latch onto and pull from, for our community. My response to that is that, I love the fact that it deals basically, trying to help the Black child and the family as a whole. That's one thing that we haven't strayed away from. You know, most people like, "We don't want to be afraid to... We don't want to just say 'Black,' because we may not get support." But I have to say that every affiliate and the national, we have made it a point to identify who we are working for and the reason why we're working for the Black child and the Black family. So, that is the most unique thing about NBCDI. We are unapologetic about working with families, and we push... They push it to the end, and over the end. So that's what I'm going to say what's unique about it. I echo what(participant) said about the uniqueness lying in the apologetic support of Black children and families, and not straying away from it. And also maintaining this really authentic grassroots effort and approach, that it was birthed out of. So, with having several affiliates on the ground, across the country, and still surviving after 50 years, makes it unique in itself, in addition to this intergenerational thing that we have going on. I don't think there's any other organization that looks like us in terms of having this intergenerational approach. And we have all these different perspectives and levels of experience to draw off of. And yeah, that makes it unique. And the fact that they've identified several buckets that really align, truly align with the whole child, and doesn't try to compartmentalize things, makes it extremely unique, as well. It has lasted as long as it did. And I say that laughing, but I am very sincere because it's not too often you see a lot of Black organizations, especially that has developed from the Civil Rights Movement into really active, with a active group of people working across different states, in action, on the ground, doing the work. So, that's me. (CHAT) I'm proud that we have been around for more than 50 years and do our work in a way that is truly multi-generational - from our founder to the prenatal-three work that we do. (CHAT) 1)the staff is very talented; being able to work with and learn from talented Black leaders make me very proud; 2) the Affiliate Leaders - such a talented and committed group of individuals who work on behalf of children and families as volunteers is remarkable and speaks to our organization and Black community leaders across the country I think there's a lot to be said for the 50 plus years now, the longevity, because it speaks to generations at this point being involved in and with NBCDI. So I think it's always remarkable when you can hit those kind of marks in the organization's evolution.

STRENGTHS

Stating on mission to support Black children and families

STRENGTHS

Stating on mission to support Black children and families with intergenerational approach

STRENGTHS

Lasting service to the community

STRENGTHS

Longevity in the field

STRENGTHS

Talented internal leadership and support staff

STRENGTHS

Being involved in the work for 50 years

STRENGTHS

Ability to pivot to address the needs of Black children and families I also like that the organization has been able to remain relevant. So the issues that our community struggle with, unfortunately haven't gone away. And they've even pivoted to areas where I think we're seeing new trends... Well, not really new trends, but I think about the work that we did around the preschool to prison pipeline and working with other policy people like Senator Cory Booker around how do we stop some of these things? So I think it's relevance over the years and being able to stick to those core issues, but to pivot and address them in ways that are a little more current. I think that we still have our founder active and present with the organization I think also says a lot. A lot of founders sort of step away, but I think it's a honor and a privilege for us to still have Evelyn Moore be a part of it and active, and we still have her voice, which still resonates and is relevant as well.

STRENGTHS

Ability to do the work for as long as it has no matter the resources that are available

I marvel at what NBCDI has been able to accomplish what it has. I don't know that any organizations could do what NBCDI has done given the history of limited resources on all fronts. Personnel, dollars. I suppose it's the real passion for this work that has maintained us. And I'm always hoping that while we move forward and progress, that the passion that has held this organization together won't disappear, that the values that have been demonstrated throughout the first 50 years of this organization just won't change. Because I believe that this organization is going to grow into something pretty darn spectacular. And so while we move into progress, I hope that the foundation isn't in any way, shape, or form compromised.

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National Black Child Development Institute

SOAR Analysis for Strategic Articulation Map

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Recurring Theme Recurrences

STRENGTHS

Longevity in addressing issues impacting for Black families and children no matter the amount of resources (50+ years)

Well, I think its greatest accomplishment is that it has survived all these years. BCDI has been severely underfunded in relation to the accomplishments that it can claim, and that has happened because of the blood, sweat, and tears of our volunteer network. Most organizations that started in the sixties or in the seventies, I think BCDI technically started in the early seventies, didn't survive unless they were big organizations like the Urban League and the NAACP, and we're not. We've never been the size of those organizations. But most organizations our size just haven't survived, but we have survived. We have a strong, strong following. Loyal following. We have an image, and we have the right name. And we have seen over the years the conversations about changing our name, because if we were too aligned with only Black kids, we wouldn't get general support, but that we have stuck with the Black name, I think has been one of the major assets of the organization. Surviving. I mean, we've got >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33

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