The Cross Cultural Partnership Project (the Project) is an innovative alliance formed by the National Black Child Development Institute and the National Council of La Raza with the purpose of strengthening and promoting partnerships between the African American and Latino communities around early childhood education issues. It is projected that these groups will continue to be the two largest groups of ethnically diverse children in America. Yet, as their numbers increase, there remains a dire need for additional programs to address the challenges that hinder the success of these children in and beyond school. Common obstacles such as access to information, limited resources, and family instability are faced by African American and Latino children at an alarmingly disproportionate rate compared to their white counterparts. Not only do these impediments affect a child’s ability to participate in formal education, but they also contribute to a continual disadvantage that frequently goes unremedied throughout the child’s life.
The goal of the Project is to ensure that quality early care and education is accessible to the most vulnerable children. This is achieved by establishing and partnering with local task forces that determine community needs and develop plans of action to best address those needs.
Past Accomplishments of the Partnership
By partnering with community task forces, NBCDI and NCLR have had tremendous success in exploring and promoting the potential roles of cross-cultural partnerships in community development and mobilization around early childhood concerns. Specifically, the partnership has:
- Established a strong leadership network by identifying community leaders through a process of referral and nomination;
- Compiled and disseminated critical information on the status of early childhood needs and services, both nationally and within the community;
- Supported the exchange of instrumental and timely information through meetings, community forums, and a national meeting in Washington, DC; and
- Conducted community leadership training including policy workshops and presentations by leading early childhood professionals
