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Recorded Webinars

2024 CER Annual Conference

Opening Keynote and Parent-Power Panel

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The National African American Child and Family Research Center held an annual conference in 2024 with the theme of CER Pathways to Equitable Programs and Policies. During this session, attendees will identify community-engaged research approaches with parents, discuss the role of parents in research to improve programs, and identify outcomes and actions that might help ensure services and research are equitable through positive outcomes.

Speaker(s): Tanya Thomas, PhD, Coastal Plain Area EOA, Inc.; Christian Slacks, Head Start; Kissie Hunt, Coastal Plain Area EOA, Inc; Bridget Ratajczak, MA, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning; Ebony Tolbert, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning; Fatoumata “Fatima” Kane, Center for the Study of Social Policy; Sando Zou-Capuzzi, Center for the Study of Social Policy; Latrice Rollins, PhD, NAACFRC/MSM; William P. Jackson, PhD, Village of Wisdom; Nina Smith, PhD, NAACFRC

Incorporating Lived Experience into Federal Research Practices

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Many federal agencies are exploring options to engage people with lived experience in federally funded research and evaluation. This session will describe how a community advisory board (CAB) can fulfill this need, how to convene a CAB in the federal research context, and lessons learned from the perspectives of one project’s CAB members, research firm staff, and federal staff. Speakers will describe and share lessons learned from the Advancing Contextual Analysis and Methods of Participant Engagement (CAMPE) project, funded by the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and implemented by Urban Institute.

This was a program session during the NAACFRC 2024 CER Conference: CER Pathways to Equitable Programs and Policies.

Objectives:

Gain a deeper understanding of how community engagement can be conceptualized and implemented in federally funded research

Receive a compilation of shared ideas, resources, tools, and examples to apply in your work

Speaker(s): Marla McDaniel, PhD, Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population, Urban Institute; Kim Clum, PhD, OPRE/ACF/HHS; Parthenia Fields, Community Advisory Board (CAB); Rodney Washington, EdD, NAACFRC

Emerging Scholars Showcase

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NAACFRC Emerging Scholars, doctoral and medical students who have been mentored by NAACFRC co-investigators share their research in early care and education and the well-being of African American children and families. There are five emerging scholar presentations:

1) “Peering Through the Lens: Demographic Realities of Black Households During the Pandemic”, Breanna Chachere, MPH

2) “Racial Identity Development of Black Young Children: The Relationships Between Teachers and Families”, Amber B. Sansbury-Scott, PhD Candidate

3) “Reentry Challenges and Barriers for Black Families in Georgia and Louisiana”, Anthony Lizarraga, Doctoral Student

4) “The Day That My Life Changed: Exploring How Black Fathers’ Stories Make Meaning of Paternal Identity Development”, Aremu Mbande Smith, Doctoral Student

5) “Digital Familism: Momentary Links between Digital and In-Person Interactions with Parents and Siblings, and Adolescents’ Effect during COVID-19”, Shedrick Garrett, MA, Ford Predoctoral and NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Objectives:

Describe the NAACFRC Emerging Scholars Program

Describe research findings in the areas of early care and education, rural and justice-involved populations, and fatherhood

Moderator: Robert Mayberry, PhD, MPH, MS, NAACFRC/MSM

Simulive Webinar Presentations

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Two presentations will explore systemic barriers and regional disparities in early childhood education. The topics included:

1) “Re-Conceptualizing Current Measurements of Accessibility for Black Family & Children in ECE”, Speaker: Ashley Watts, EdD Student, Marymount University

Illuminate the historical roots of inequities in early education

Examine the contemporary manifestations of inequities in early education

Present concrete policy recommendations addressing historical and contemporary challenges,

2) “Geography, Resources, and Outcomes: Unraveling Federal Early & Primary Care Disparities in the U.S.”, Speaker: Briana Bostic, PhD, Baltimore Education Research Consortium

Understand how the resources available to ECE staff in the U.S. are shaped by geographic context (region, urban density, poverty density)

Distinguish outcomes for staff and children in Head Start centers compared to all centers

Identify program structure and resources provided by the 21st CCLC program in Texas and demonstrate distinctions in outcomes for children selected centers

Moderator: Calonie Gray, PhD, MS, OPRE/ACF/HHS

Community Engaged Research in Economic Mobility and Poverty Alleviation

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This NAACFRC 2024 CER Conference: CER Pathways to Equitable Programs and Policies program session includes three presentations about using community-engaged research to approach different economic mobility and poverty alleviation sectors.

1) “City Talkin’ We Taking Notes: A Basic Income Project for African American Women Builds Hope & Healing”, Ebonee Bell, Multnomah Idea Lab; Voycetta Marie White, Multnomah Idea Lab; Kesha Canda, Multnomah Idea Lab

This presentation discusses how the Multnomah Idea Lab uses participatory action research to challenge assumptions about poverty and the prevailing narrative about the competence of mothers who live on low or no income.

2) “We as a Country Should Provide: The Impacts of Guaranteed Income on Racial and Economic Justice”, Leah Hamilton, MSW, PhD, Jain Family Institute; Simone Smith, PhD Student, Clark Atlanta University; Aaron Quick, PhD Student, Clark Atlanta University; Desha Elliott, PhD Student, Clark Atlanta University

This presentation presents the initial 12-month findings from a pioneering Guaranteed Income initiative in three sites across Georgia, focusing on Black women.

3) “Claiming #FATHERhood: The Building of Brothers United Nation”, Avis Files, Program Director, Pathway, Inc.

This presentation discusses a unique approach to studying young Black fathers.

Advancing Research in Early Care and Education for African American Children

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Three presentations will be shared within this NAACFRC 2024 CER Conference: CER Pathways to Equitable Programs and Policies program session:

1) Studying an Equity-Focused Universal Preschool Program: Lessons from a Research Partnership

Speaker(s): Stephanie M. Curenton, Center on the Ecology of Early Development, Boston University; Leslee Barnes, Multnomah County’s Preschool, and Early Learning Division

Objectives:

Reflect upon ways equity can be centered in the design of a research-practice partnership.

Formulate considerations for collaborative research projects to reflect equity.

Learn about the unique needs of studying universal preschool and other ECE programs within an equity-focused, research-practice partnership model.

2) Exploring the Experiences of Black, Low-Income Parents’ Access to Quality Early Childhood Education

Speaker(s): Keon N. Berry, PhD, Morehouse College

The objective is to describe:

The importance of equitable access for all families

The importance of high quality ECE

The importance of culturally responsive education

3) Infusing child development science into the ministry activities of clergy in predominantly Black congregations

Speaker(s): Allison Stephens, HOPE National Resource Center; Darrell Armstrong, Faith-leaders Allied and Aligned to Institute Trust in the Home (FAAITH)

Objectives:

Explain the purpose and components of the congregational home-visiting model

Diagram a basic service model that combines research and at least one community-based institution

Predict possible barriers to the development of a model, particularly for communities of color or when engaging faith communities

Moderator: Cassandra Bolar, Ph.D., NAACFRC

Safe First Steps

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The goal of the Safe First Steps program is to share information with early childhood providers, schools, and families about the strategies that can be implemented to reduce re-traumatization and promote recovery for individuals dealing with intergenerational trauma and exposure to adverse childhood experiences.

Objectives:

Learn about the effects of trauma in early childhood and the experiences that may serve as risk versus protective factors for young children

Discuss the safety and coping strategies that will help to reduce the adverse outcomes children and families are experiencing because of trauma exposure

Explore individual and organizational strategies that can be implemented to support communities experiencing behavioral health disparities and historical inequities

This was a program session during the NAACFRC 2024 CER Conference: CER Pathways to Equitable Programs and Policies.

Speaker(s): Brian McGregor, PhD, NAACFRC/MSM; Lynda Gibson, PhD, Psychological Services Center, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Policy Power Panel and Closing Remarks

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The final panel and closing remarks are shared as the NAACFRC 2024 CER Conference: CER Pathways to Equitable Programs and Policies Conference wraps up.

These policy researchers will discuss using data and research to inform policy and ways to reduce the gaps between current human service practices and goals for better quality services and positive outcomes.

Objectives:

Identify successful strategies to use research to inform policy and improve services to African American children and families

Discuss current trends in policy research that impact African American children and families

As the NAACFRC Conference 2024 wraps up, key speakers and closing remarks will be shared.

Speaker(s): Latrice Rollins, PhD, NAACFRC, MSM; Charli Cooksey, MA, WEPOWER; Megan Reid, PhD, OPRE/ACF/HHS; Ife Floyd, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute; Alycia Hardy, MPA, National Black Child Development Institute; Parker Gilkesson Davis, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Patrick McFarlane, Childcare Resource Center

2024 Capacity Building Webinar Series

An Introduction to CBPR and its Use in ACF Research

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The NAACFRC Equity and Inclusion for Community Engagement webinar discussed the importance of equity and inclusion language for community engagement, with speakers emphasizing the need for a glossary of terms and the potential of language to shape collective health outcomes.

Speakers also highlighted the significance of creating an inclusive workspace and classroom environment, and the importance of family engagement, particularly with African American families. The discussion concluded with a focus on leadership accountability, goal setting, and flexibility in human services organizations, and the importance of constructive dialogue for repairing structural racism.

Critical Research Design and QCM

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This webinar will describe how to employ quantitative and computational methods (QCM) situated in context, history, and social relations when conducting community engaged research. Specifically, after this session, attendees will be able to:

Name and define foundational epistemologies in research traditions and approaches.

Identify at least three critical theoretical approaches and traditions for quantitative and computational research.

Understand intersectionality as an example of critical quantitative and computational methodologies.

Describe the strengths and weaknesses of at least five quantitative and computational approaches used to conduct intersectionality analysis.

Developing a Community Engaged Research Agenda

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This webinar will describe how the Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center’s research and prevention initiatives are implemented in direct response to priorities identified through a community-based, participatory research-driven needs and assets assessment. Led by a community-majority coalition board, the assessment coupled city and state secondary data with primary survey data collected by and from community residents. The assessment informed and established a data-driven community-engaged research agenda, policy, systems, environmental change approaches, community-led grants and job creation leveraging neighborhood contexts and strengths.

Equity & Inclusion Language for Community Engagement

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The NAACFRC Equity and Inclusion for Community Engagement webinar discussed the importance of equity and inclusion language for community engagement, with speakers emphasizing the need for a glossary of terms and the potential of language to shape collective health outcomes.

Speakers also highlighted the significance of creating an inclusive workspace and classroom environment, and the importance of family engagement, particularly with African American families. The discussion concluded with a focus on leadership accountability, goal setting, and flexibility in human services organizations, and the importance of constructive dialogue for repairing structural racism.

Community Engagement Approaches

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This webinar will describe how community-based research can improve and build on research strategies and approaches when interacting with marginalized and/or community-specific groups. Specifically, the topics of the webinar will include fatherhood research, asset-based research, and racial equity. Information that attendees will learn includes:

1) Identifying the importance of asset-based community development and community engagement in research
2) Understanding the need to address structural and systemic inequities and the importance of involving community members in the scientific process. An example will be provided
3) Implementing racial equity to elevate the voices of underserved peoples and organizations in research and decision-making processes and practices.

Research Ethics Around Community Participation in Research

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This webinar will focus on community involvement and research ethics, sharing insights on critical issues including trust, equity and autonomy and navigating sensitive data that will benefit research and impacted communities alike. Attendees will learn how to: – Foster trust, equity, and transparency in their community when engaging in research. – Handle sensitive and identifying information. – Boost dual-relationship that benefits both research and community.

2023 CER Annual Conference

The Role of Community-Engaged Research in Advancing Equity in Service

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In 2021, OPRE issued a brief entitled, Enhancing Rigor, Relevance, and Equity in Research and Evaluation Through Community Engagement, which stated “Community leaders, community members, and researchers increasingly recognize that engaging communities in research and evaluation is critical for implementing effective programs and building trust. Researchers and communities also recognize the value of community-engaged research to improve the rigor and relevance of research and evaluation and better address historical and ongoing systemic inequities. Community-engaged research is more than a project or study; it is a process that requires commitment from researchers and communities to sustain long-term relationships and collaboration.” We will hear from community-engaged researchers and community leaders about the role of research in improving programs and services for African American children and families and ensuring services are equitable through positive outcomes.

Community-Engaged Research in Early Care & Education

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This webinar will describe how community-based research can improve and build on research strategies and approaches when interacting with marginalized and/or community-specific groups. Specifically, the topics of the webinar will include fatherhood research, asset-based research, and racial equity. Information that attendees will learn include:

1) Identifying the importance of asset-based community development and community engagement in research
2) Understanding the need of addressing structural and systemic inequities and the importance of involving community members in the scientific process. Example will be provided
3) Implementing racial equity to elevate the voices of underserved peoples and organizations in research and decision-making processes, as well as practices.

Community-Engaged Research in Economic Mobility and Poverty Alleviation

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Using Data and Research to Advance Equity and Improve Services for African American Children, Families, and Workforce

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Community-Engaged Research in Fatherhood

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Emerging Scholars Showcase

2022 CER Annual Conference

National African American Child & Family Research Center Conference: Day 1

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Future research, practice, and policy recommendations to strengthen and support African-American children and families through TANF/Poverty Alleviation, Early Childhood Education, and Childcare programs were shared during an engaging panel session. Other presenters include community-based participatory or community-engaged scholars focused on research in the areas of TANF/Poverty Alleviation, Early Childhood Education, Childcare, and Fatherhood with African-American children and
families.

Fatherhood Town Hall

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Concurrent Session A | Authentic Collaboration: Public Benefits, Participatory Research And Advocacy.

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Concurrent Session B | Early Education: Black Children’s Access, Experiences, and Outcomes.

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Vast evidence points to the importance of early education for children’s school and life success. Furthermore, much of the short- and long-term social, health, and economic benefits of early childhood education are primarily based on studies that mainly included Black children. Unfortunately, studies show that Black children are less likely to access Early Head Start and Head Start and experience high-quality learning environments. The outcomes of participation in Early Head Start and Head Start are mixed and uneven. However, these findings must be placed in context through a holistic lens that recognizes the pernicious
impact of systemic racism. This presentation uncovers those disparities and suggest ways to create systems and programs that leverage the cultural assets of Black children, families, and communities while mitigating against systemic racism, inequities and biases.

Concurrent Session C | Early Care: An Exploration of Linkages Between Employment, Wages, and Child Care Access for Black Families to Inform Child Care Policy

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Childcare enables participation in the workforce and is critically important to the well-being of families and society. This session includes a brief overview of employment patterns and wages in Black families, examines access to child care, and highlights the historical links between Black women and child care work to shed light on solutions for advancing child care systems and policy in the U.S.

Concurrent Session D | Fatherhood/Family Dynamics

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2022 Capacity Building Webinar Series

An Overview of Fatherhood Research and TANF Connections

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In this short webinar, Dr. Cassandra Bolar, introduces the field of fatherhood research beginning with how interest emerged in this topic post World War II in the United States. Major researchers in the field of fatherhood are discussed as well as how fathering has shifted over the decades. Dr. Bolar highlights the intergenerational transmission of fathering in Black families and positive child outcomes associated with father involvement as a whole.

Populations Living in Rural Areas

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NAACFRC is deeply invested in improving the quality of life for rural Black populations participating in TANF, Head Start/Early Head Start, and the Child Care Development Fund. Our Co-Investigator, Rural Populations, is Dr. Nina Smith. With a background in Psychology Human Development & Family Studies, Dr. Smith brings an interdisciplinary approach to exploring rurality in Black families in the hopes of addressing their unmet needs. In this video, Dr. Smith introduces rurality as a cross-cutting theme among Black families.

Community Conversations

MS Washington County 2022 MAY 18

AL Macon County 2022 MAY 31

GA Troup County 2022 MAY 03

GA Greene County 2022 APR 09

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National African American Child and Family Research Center

720 Westview Drive SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30310
Contact email: info@naacfrc.org

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This project is supported by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (Grant #: 90PH0031-01-00) totaling $1.8 million with 100 percent funded by ACF/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACF/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

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