Building Babies’ Brains in Every Language & Culture

With the vast diversity of Gwinnett, it is critical that we understand the cultures within, so we can better support parents and caregivers in being their child’s first and best teacher. Through the Building Babies’ Brains in Every Language and Culture grant initiative, we have provided professional learning on cultural responsiveness to the grant partner organization early learning educators. Through the coordination of intentionally facilitated sessions aligned with the needs of our birth through five community, high-quality collaborative learning opportunities were offered and, based on survey feedback, had a positive impact on 88 early learning instructors from across Gwinnett.

This grant initiative also allowed us to acquire culturally diverse books, materials, and learning resources for early learning programs in Gwinnett. By investing in these resources, educators are able to create more inclusive and engaging learning environments for early learners and their families, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation for diverse cultures and perspectives.

The grantor recognized the value of our initiative and the impact it has had on the lives of young children and their families in Gwinnett. As a result, we have been awarded additional funding to create public service announcements (PSAs) aimed at promoting early learning. An action group was developed from the Early Learning Working Group to work together to help bring the PSA to life. With plans to have this translated into multiple languages, these PSAs will help us reach a broader audience and raise awareness throughout Gwinnett’s diverse communities.

Such a collaborative effort demonstrates a shared commitment to providing high quality programming and resources in a culturally responsive manner. This serves as a model for continued collective approaches.