Past Conferences

2021 Conference

Racial Consciousness and Social Justice

Keynote Presentation: “Baby Loves Themself Sooo Much!” Supporting Infants’ and Toddlers’ Positive Racial Identity Development

By Ijumaa Jordan

Ijumaa Jordan is a fat, Black, cis-gendered woman (she, her, her’s) daily engaging in the beautiful struggle of life, doing the internal and external work to abolish systems of oppression such as racism, sexism, transphobia, and classism, etc. Ijumaa shows up for this work with intensity and passion, being joyful, thinking critically, and holding a learning space with care and grace. She loves afternoon naps and snacks, you can usually find her online looking serious and laughing loudly.

Featured Presentation: “Reflections for a Better Tomorrow: Engaging in Equity and Social Justice”

By José Velilla

The COVID-19 pandemic, politics and discrimination have all contributed to what I call the “Year of He_ _”. This year has brought to the forefront anger, disdain, and long term mental health concerns that will impact us all. The time we enact real change within ourselves, each other and our communities is now. I will share some of my experiences this past year and those of the children and families we serve in this community. Hoping for and acting toward true equity and social justice are not new concepts but this year, 2021 gives us an opportunity to reflect and engage in actions toward these goals. Let’s explore the possibilities together!

Workshop Highlights:

  • Conversaciones y interacciones con estudiantes de doble idioma durante el día with Alexandra Figueras-Daniel (Workshop facilitated in Spanish)
  • Engaging Families in Difficult Conversations with Soyoung Park and Laura Araman
  • Equitable Compensation for the Early Childhood Workforce: Within Reach and Worth the Investment with Brandy Lawrence
  • Math and Toddlers: Developing Math Understanding in Early Childhood with Robin Hummel and Alex Salomon
  • So Much More than Lullabies: Exploring the World of Sound and Music in Infants and Toddlers with Sonia A. Yoshizawa
  • Using the FAN with our Families and Colleagues with Tori Graham
  • Collaboration and Partnerships with Families Receiving Early Intervention Services with Tanya Nicholson Miller
  • Coming Back to the Classroom During and After COVID with Lesley Koplow
  • Creating Environments that Support Social Emotional Development with Michelle Barnea
  • Emergent Curriculum with Infants and Toddlers: Engaging in Dialogue with our Youngest Children with Jacqueline Marks, Scharisse Sierra, Aika Martin, & Jessica Bieber
  • Leveraging participatory approaches during the COVID pandemic – lessons from the field with Steven A. Toledo and Adeline Medeiros
  • Profundizando las conexiones familiares a través de cuidadosa observaciones with Carmen L. Colón (Workshop facilitated in Spanish)
  • We are Family! Invite joy and learn practical strategies that serve to cultivate authentic family engagement through a strengths based and culturally responsive lens with Sarah Willis and Pilar Anglero-Aviles
  • Authentic Engagement in Early Intervention: A Conversation with Ashley Cattaneo
  • Culturally Sustaining Practice in Family Childcare and Center Based Care with Dr. Robin Hancock
  • Exploring Their World: Seasonal Exploratory Activities for Infants and Toddlers with Brittany Wallace and Stephanie McGillen
  • Finding Joy in Early Childhood Settings with Gabriel Guyton and Stephanie Kelly
  • Lectura en comunidad: Leyendo libros infantiles en español with Carla España (Workshop facilitated in Spanish)
  • Supporting and Understanding Differing Sensory Profiles with Yasmin Dorrian
  • Anti-Bias and You: A Reflection and Deepening of Anti-Bias Education and its Role in Early Childhood Classrooms with Alexandra Martinez and Jennifer T. Ruiz
  • Me an advocate? Yes! (a workshop) with Mark Nagasawa
  • Reflective Supervision: A Best Practice Essential for Child Care with Gilbert M. Foley
  • Salud Mental Infantil with Emily Rodriguez (Workshop facilitated in Spanish)
  • Supporting Parents of Toddlers with Melina Gac Levin
  • Was Rosa just tired? Reframing stories of Black resistance in Early Childhood settings with Maimuna Mohammed and Zipporiah Mills