News

May 6, 2019

Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education

Join the Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education (P.R.I.D.E.) program for a professional development training centered on exposing directors to strategies that promote positive racial identity in African American children. This session will offer 6 credit hours; PQAS approved.

Training Objectives

Upon completion, the learner will be able to:

  1. Describe racial awareness (i.e., the ages and stages at which children develop an awareness of physical characteristics related to existing social categories of race in America),
  2. Display awareness of the role of early educators in supporting children’s healthy understanding of race, and
  3. Illustrate techniques for working with staff and families to integrate conversations and activities that support children’s racial awareness and positive racial identity.

Registration

To register for this training, visit the Pennsylvania PD Registry website.

Questions

For registration questions, contact Emily Bengel at 412.255.1453 or ebengel@ywcapgh.org.

For course questions, contact Aisha White at 412.383.7372 or aiw9@pitt.edu.

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News

March 27, 2019

P.R.I.D.E. Seeks Early Educators & Artists for Upcoming Art Festivals

Recently, the Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education program (P.R.I.D.E.) announced a call for submissions to Pittsburgh-based early childhood educators and Africana artists for the P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals.

About the Festivals

Modeled after children’s activities offered during the popular Harambee || Black Arts Festivals, P.R.I.D.E. Pop Ups are small, half-day, outdoor art festivals hosted in three Pittsburgh communities: East Liberty, Homewood, and the Hill District. At the festivals, artists and educators engage young children (ages 3 to 8) and their families in hands-on activities. The goal is for adults to use art activities to teach children about their race and culture while building their positive racial identity.

To see important dates and learn more, visit the P.R.I.D.E. website.

Who Can Apply

This call for submissions is open to early educators teaching grades Pre-K to 3rd grade and Africana artists working in the following disciplines: Literature, Performing Arts, Visual Arts & Crafts, and/or Multidisciplinary Arts. Applications are open to early childhood educators from all neighborhoods, schools, and child care settings, including public, private, charter, etc. Educators working in East Liberty, Homewood, and Hill District schools/settings are highly encouraged to apply.

Participating educators and artists will receive the following compensation:

  • Educator and Artist Cross-Training Compensation: $275
  • Educator and Artist Festival Participation Compensation: $260 per event ($780 total)
  • End-of-Project Focus Group Participation Compensation: $25
  • Artist Material Stipend: $400

Application & Deadlines

If you’re interested in applying or signing up as a volunteer, please visit the P.R.I.D.E. website.

All applications must be submitted by Friday, April 5 at 11:59 p.m.

About P.R.I.D.E.

As a part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education’s Office of Child Development, P.R.I.D.E. is a multifaceted program designed to help young African American children (ages 3 to 8) develop a positive racial identity, support teachers and parents by building their racial knowledge, and raise awareness of the impact of race on young children. The program provides a range of services, such as training opportunities for educators and artists, Parent Village sessions for Black children, and art festivals created to immerse young Black children in a space designed to celebrate them.

See the P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals flyer. 

*Information provided by the P.R.I.D.E. Program