New Center Supports Racial Justice and Equity for Children
Stephanie Curenton, director of the new Center on the Ecology of Early Education
New Center Supports Racial Justice and Equity for Children
The Center on the Ecology of Early Education (CEED) will conduct research to support policy and practice
A new center at BU Wheelock will support racial justice and equity for children in Boston and beyond. The Center on the Ecology of Early Education (CEED) will conduct applied equity-focused research to inspire policy leaders and practitioners to cultivate opportunities that optimize Black children’s well-being and ability to thrive. The new center will be led by associate professor Stephanie M. Curenton.
“I believe that striving for social justice must start early, even during the prenatal period, if our society is truly committed to making the world a better place for future generations,” says Curenton.
A tenured associate professor of educational leadership & policy studies and applied human development, Curenton focuses much of her research on the social, cognitive, and language development of racially marginalized children and their families.
At CEED, she is joined by a team of scholars and advisors from across the nation, as well as colleagues here in Boston. CEED will invest in partnerships with organizations dedicated to professional development for educators and/or health practitioners. In addition, CEED will partner with national organizations to publish policy briefs on topics such as preschool suspension and expulsion, COVID’s effects on Black families, and Black families’ access to child care before and after the pandemic.
“It is my hope that CEED helps to change the narrative about Black children’s development and helps to build a pathway for improving their education and health,” says Curenton.