Transforming the Legacy of Colonial and Racialized Inequities in Childcare Systems in the U.S.: (Re)Framing Futures Through Black Feminist Thought

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Challenges and Disruptions to Eurocentric Perspectives in Early Childhood (Table 5)

Abstract

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and childcare systems in the U.S. have been grounded in colonial and racist origins and capitalistic frameworks, and continue to contribute to contemporary inequities. In this article, we suggest a reframing of ECEC, inspired by Black feminist thought to problematize economic rationales for childcare, and the devaluing of educator knowledges, especially educators of color. Through a discussion of Black Feminist Care and professional learning as one site of transformation, we illustrate how Black feminisms can uproot oppressive systems, disrupting and transforming childcare in a way that is anti-racist and equitable.

Authors

• Flora J. Harmon, American Institutes for Research

• Michelle Salazar Perez, University of North Texas