DEC Message About Racism and Inequity
In solidarity with the CEC statement on Race and Inequity, DEC stands with its members and community.
As an organization, we acknowledge systemic racism exists. In the past several weeks, new violence against Black people has been recorded and shared widely, exposing long held injustices in our society. The recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the countless others before them have confirmed the divide in our collective psyche regarding race. We also recognize that many of our members are processing what recent events mean for their work and the systems and institutions rooted in racism.
The DEC Priority Issues Agenda identifies overcoming bias as a key priority for our work. It states: We all have a role and responsibility to become consciously aware, change behavior, and ultimately eliminate the impact of these biases by supporting each other through - and holding each other accountable to - our unconscious actions.
We stand with our members, those supporting children with disabilities and their families, as they work through the traumas of systemic racism. We also stand with our members--and others--who are speaking out to address these systemic injustices. We acknowledge we all have a role to play in dismantling institutional racism including in our early care and education system. This work is ongoing and essential, and we are committed to engaging in it with you. As an organization, we are recommitting to our role in dismantling institutional racism and supporting our members with doing the same in their spheres.
Together,
Megan Vinh, President Peggy Kemp, Executive Director
Division for Early Childhood
Ted Burke, Past President Sheresa Blanchard, Chair
Amanda Quesenberry, President Elect Jen Newton, Chair
Darla Gundler, Vice President Inclusion, Equity, Social Justice Committee
LaShorage Shaffer, Secretary
Jessica Hardy, Treasurer
Krista Scott, Member at Large
Chelsea Guillen, Member at Large
Cori Hill, Member at Large
DEC Executive Board
