Cultivating Belonging, Inclusive Spaces, and Reflective Practices

Early childhood practitioners face various challenges in the field, including staffing shortages, lack of funding for programs and professional development, and insufficient cultural representation in the workforce.

In this episode of the Leading Voices podcast, host Grace Westermann talks with Monica Mathur-Kalluri, Project Director within WestEd’s Early Childhood Intervention, Mental Health, and Inclusion team. As a Project Director, Monica engages with practitioners, parents, and state and community leaders to enhance the well-being of infants and toddlers and providers working with children ages 0–5.

Together, they discuss the transformative power of reflective practice spaces for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) practitioners and how these spaces help prevent burnout and create a more sustainable and supportive environment for those dedicated to early childhood care. 

Listeners will also hear from early childhood practitioners from California and Virginia and what they had to say about their experience participating in the Revolutionary Reflective Practice retreat hosted in August 2023 for BIPOC practitioners.

Their conversation covers the following topics:

• Reflective practices for BIPOC practitioners
• The essential elements for creating a sense of belonging and inclusion in professional learning settings
• The value of creating welcoming BIPOC-only spaces for practitioners
• Learnings from the Revolutionary Reflective Practice retreat held in August 2023

Transcript

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Revolutionary Reflective Practice for BIPOC Healing and Liberation (Website)
• Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Book)