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Birmingham to Partner with Bloomberg on Early Childhood Learning

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — The city of Birmingham was selected as one of five American cities to replicate Providence Talks, a free, citywide early childhood program that aims to increase interactive talk with children to foster early brain development. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, through its What Works Cities initiative, the city is launching Birmingham Talks to serve 2,500 children across Jefferson County over the next three years. The other four cities that are replicating Providence Talks are: Detroit, MI; Hartford, CT; Louisville, KY; and Virginia Beach, VA.

Published

5 years ago

September 30, 2019

Oakland Post

Group of diverse kindergarten students standing holding hands to (Photo by: Rawpixel)

By The Birmingham Times

The city of Birmingham was selected as one of five American cities to replicate Providence Talks, a free, citywide early childhood program that aims to increase interactive talk with children to foster early brain development.

Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, through its What Works Cities initiative, the city is launching Birmingham Talks to serve 2,500 children across Jefferson County over the next three years. The other four cities that are replicating Providence Talks are: Detroit, MI; Hartford, CT; Louisville, KY; and Virginia Beach, VA.

Combined with local investments, the support provided across five cities totals nearly $12 million over three years. In addition to Bloomberg Philanthropies, Birmingham Talks is in conversations with other national and local funders to help scale the program to more children in the region.

Birmingham Talks was incubated by The Overton Project, a social impact entity founded by Birmingham native Jared Weinstein to bring evidence-based national programs to the city. Previous national replications include Venture for America, Breakthrough Collaborative and Microsoft TEALS. Two years ago, Overton identified early childhood education as a necessary community investment towards a foundational pathway to increased lifetime literacy for Birmingham’s children.

“We know that the words children hear during their formative years profoundly impact healthy brain development and their life trajectories. And, we know that for children living in poverty, this early investment is particularly vital. But, we didn’t know how to empower parents and teachers, the adults that spend the most time with children, to drive better outcomes for their kids” said Liya Shuster-Bier, Managing Director of Overton.

Last August, Overton learned of the model utilized in Providence, a winner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge — an innovation competition for cities with bold, inventive ideas that address urgent challenges — and its interest was piqued. For the next year, Overton worked in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of the City of Birmingham to design Birmingham Talks.

“We know that education is essential in preparing students to boost college completion and workforce readiness starts at birth. We are eager to partner with Bloomberg Philanthropies, What Works Cities and Birmingham Talks to help our children succeed in kindergarten and beyond.” said Mayor Randall Woodfin, whose administration has prioritized ‘cradle to career’ education initiatives.

Led by Ruth Ann Moss, a Teach For America alum, Birmingham Talks brings to bear a data-driven program that will be the first of its kind in Alabama. The innovative program integrates a specialized coaching curriculum with progress reports captured by a word pedometer that counts the number ofwords spoken in a child’s presence.

“Research shows that for optimal brain development, children need to hear 21,000 words daily. Our program helps parents and teachers reach that daily goal by developing new talking behaviors while receiving personalized feedback reports after each coaching session,” Moss said.

Birmingham Talks will implement this unique combination of coaching curriculum and conversational tracking both at home and at daycares, in partnership with Nurse-Family Partnership-of Central Alabama (NFP-CA) and The Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCEO) respectively.

Both NFP-CA and JCCEO will work with evaluators at University of Alabama at Birmingham to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology/curriculum combination. The program will begin serving families in early October.

Birmingham Talks is optimistic about the program’s potential because of the success had in the Providence community.

“Providence Talks shows just why we launched the Mayors Challenge: to help cities take on big challenges, test innovative ideas, and then spread what works best,” said Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and the 108th Mayor of New York City. “Providence Talks has had promising results, helping thousands of young children increase their language development. Today, we’re glad to help five new cities adapt the program and work to achieve similar progress.”

Bloomberg Philanthropies will support Birmingham Talks with a three-year grant and will also provide an in-kind donation of technology and software, including talk pedometer devices, software, and other tools required to build data-driven outcomes.

For more information on Birmingham Talks visit bhmtalks.org or email hi@bhmtalks.org.

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

1 week ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

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Supernova Parenting Conference Empowers Over 100 Parents with Resources for Neurodivergence and Mental Health

The inaugural Supernova Parenting Conference was co-hosted by Natasha Nelson, known as Supernova Momma, and Yolanda Walker, founder of Parenting Decolonized. It brought together over 100 parents, caregivers, and educators dedicated to fostering understanding and support for neurodivergent children and mental health challenges. The conference provided invaluable resources, expert insights, and a collaborative space for […]

Published

1 week ago

November 7, 2024

BlackPressUSA.com

The event featured a variety of workshops, panel discussions, and keynote speeches from leading experts in neurodiversity and mental health. Attendees left with practical tools and strategies to enhance their parenting journeys, emphasizing the importance of understanding and supporting the unique needs of neurodivergent children.

“While the conference was a tremendous success, we believe that our work doesn’t end here,” said Natasha Nelson. “It’s crucial to continue providing ongoing support and resources for parents as they navigate this important journey. We want to ensure families can access the tools they need long after the conference.”

To extend the momentum generated at the conference, Natasha and Yolanda are excited to announce the launch of the Supernova Parenting Community. This membership-based initiative aims to offer a safe and supportive environment for parents and caregivers to continue their growth as conscious parents.

Membership is available for as little as $5 a month via Patreon, making it accessible for all families seeking support.

“We know that parenting can be a challenging journey, especially when navigating neurodivergence and mental health issues,” Yolanda Walker added. “Our goal is to build a community where parents feel seen, heard, and supported. We hope you’ll join us in this vital work.”

For more information about the Supernova Parenting Community and to sign up for membership, please visit supernovaparenting.org