Babies and children, families and communities do the research on what it takes for them to flourish. Listen with us to what they’ve been learning. Watch a webinar. Check out the Indigenous Early Learning Collaborative. Join the Brazelton Touchpoints Center Learning Network. Join the conversation.
This free, 5-episode virtual conversation series offers a safe and welcoming space to hold conversations for and by Latinx families. Explore what it means to be a parent as part of the Latinx community, raising Latinx children while navigating U.S. mainstream cultures, and connecting Latinx cultural identities to physical and mental well-being. Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support.
All are welcome to join and engage in these powerful conversations!
The series begins on Monday, October 2, 2023, and will be held every other Monday, from 3 to 4:30 PM ET / 12 to 1:30 PM PT, through November 27, 2023. All webinars are 1 hour followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with our panelists. You are invited to attend any and all episodes that interest you!
All webinars have live Spanish translation and closed captioning available.
This series is moderated by Eva Rivera, MSW, Policy Director, Early Childhood Development, The Children’s Partnership, and National Facilitator at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center.
Episode 1: Latinx Parenting – What does it mean to be Latinx and a Latinx parent in 2023?
Monday, October 2, 2023, 3 – 4:30 PM ET / 12 – 1:30 PM PT
What does it mean to raise our children as members of the Latinx community? How do we sustain our cultures as we navigate raising children within American society? Listen to our panelists discuss the successes and challenges of Latinx families today and our hopes for our Latinx communities and our children. Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support!
Karina Cabrera Bell
Mother, Consultant, and Leadership Coach
Karina Cabrera Bell is a consultant and Leadership Coach on a mission to reshape the world’s leading organizations and develop inclusive leaders. She has advised Fortune 500 companies, startups, and individuals from various industries, all eager to embark on their journeys toward fostering inclusive cultures and nurturing leadership development.
Karina is a frequent speaker on topics of inclusive leadership, diverse and equitable practices, growth mindset, and women’s leadership including at Google, Pinterest, Univision, TPG The White House, Latinas in Tech, and Tech Leadership conferences. She is a first-generation Dominican-American and a proud mother of two girls.
Karina is a frequent speaker on topics of inclusive leadership, diverse and equitable practices, growth mindset, and women’s leadership including at Google, Pinterest, Univision, TPG The White House, Latinas in Tech, and Tech Leadership conferences. She is a first-generation Dominican-American and a proud mother of two girls.
Javier Lopez
Father, Principal, and Founder of Real Time Response, Inc. (RTR)
Dynamic and collaborative with a sharp ability to solve problems, Javier “Javi” Lopez brings nearly 20 years of experience as a senior leader within the political, policy, and non-profit sectors. From his role as a change agent to his uncanny ability to identify risks, Javi has been able to help institutions design programs, introduce policies, and create an organizational culture that thrives for every employee.
Currently working as the Principal and Founder of Real Time Response, Inc. (RTR) a New York City founded Management and Strategy Consulting consulting firm, Javi provides guidance in a number of key areas, such as organizational development, DEI&B services, succession planning, human resources, and strategic planning.
In addition to his work at RTR Javi is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University, where he teaches a course for urban planners that focuses on integrating environmental and climate injustice as part of comprehensive planning in their field of work.
A proud Puerto Rican and New York City native, Javi received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at New York State and New York City Colleges. A married father of three during his free time, Javi loves to go out and act young with his wife and train with kids who enjoy playing baseball, soccer and jiujitsu.
Currently working as the Principal and Founder of Real Time Response, Inc. (RTR) a New York City founded Management and Strategy Consulting consulting firm, Javi provides guidance in a number of key areas, such as organizational development, DEI&B services, succession planning, human resources, and strategic planning.
In addition to his work at RTR Javi is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University, where he teaches a course for urban planners that focuses on integrating environmental and climate injustice as part of comprehensive planning in their field of work.
A proud Puerto Rican and New York City native, Javi received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at New York State and New York City Colleges. A married father of three during his free time, Javi loves to go out and act young with his wife and train with kids who enjoy playing baseball, soccer and jiujitsu.
Episode 2: Latinx Parenting – Embracing and Understanding Afro-Latinidad and Indigeneity in Our Latinx Communities
Monday, October 16, 2023, 3 – 4:30 PM ET / 12 – 1:30 PM PT
What are the threads of our stories and histories woven into our Latinx identities? What does it mean to be Afro-Latino? What does it mean to be an Indigenous member of the Latinx community in the US? Let’s talk about how anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity show up in our community, how our identities influence our parenting, and how we socialize our children. Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support.
Odilia Romero
Co-founder and Executive Director of Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo (CIELO)
Born in Zoogocho, Oaxaca, Odilia Romero is the co-founder and executive director of Comunidades Indígenas en Liderazgo (CIELO). She is also an independent interpreter of Zapotec, Spanish, and English for indigenous communities in Los Angeles and throughout California. She has more than two decades of experience organizing indigenous migrant communities. Her organizing knowledge and experience are highly regarded, with multiple academic publications, awards, and lectures in universities across the United States.
Ms.Romero has published on the challenges of organizing in indigenous communities, developing women’s leadership, and preparing a new generation of youth. Her work has also been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Vogue, Democracy Now!, Quien, El País, TED Talk, Forbes, and the Day Emmy award-winning series Pan Y Circo “Nadie es ilegal migrantes de ida y Vuelta” with Diego Luna.
Ms.Romero has published on the challenges of organizing in indigenous communities, developing women’s leadership, and preparing a new generation of youth. Her work has also been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Vogue, Democracy Now!, Quien, El País, TED Talk, Forbes, and the Day Emmy award-winning series Pan Y Circo “Nadie es ilegal migrantes de ida y Vuelta” with Diego Luna.
Radhy Miranda
Program Manager, The Rockefeller Foundation
Radhy Miranda is dedicated to bridging relations between large institutions and underserved communities. He works to support equitable economic mobility by creating mutually beneficial cross-sector partnerships and engaging stakeholders to drive positive change. Radhy is currently a Program Officer in the U.S. Equity and Economic Opportunity team at The Rockefeller Foundation. He spearheads initiatives and collaborations in this role that address systemic barriers and promote inclusive growth.
Prior to his work at The Rockefeller Foundation, Radhy held key leadership positions in organizations focused on community development. For over five years, Radhy worked at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) where last served as Vice President of Government and Community Relations. In that capacity, he fostered relationships in neighborhoods throughout the City, and collaborated between City/State agencies, elected officials, local leaders, and civic organizations to push forward equitable development that is mindful of the existing neighborhood dynamics and needs. Before joining the NYCEDC, he was the Assistant Director of Community Programs & Partnerships at Columbia University, where he implemented programs outlined in their Community Benefits Agreement as part of their 17-acre campus expansion into West Harlem.
Radhy was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up in the predominantly Hispanic section of Washington Heights, NYC. He graduated from Le Moyne College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing & Management, and from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs with an Master of Public Administration (MPA).
With a passion for serving underprivileged communities and his proven track record in community relations and program management, Radhy Miranda continues to dedicate his career to promoting equity, economic opportunity, and positive social change.
Prior to his work at The Rockefeller Foundation, Radhy held key leadership positions in organizations focused on community development. For over five years, Radhy worked at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) where last served as Vice President of Government and Community Relations. In that capacity, he fostered relationships in neighborhoods throughout the City, and collaborated between City/State agencies, elected officials, local leaders, and civic organizations to push forward equitable development that is mindful of the existing neighborhood dynamics and needs. Before joining the NYCEDC, he was the Assistant Director of Community Programs & Partnerships at Columbia University, where he implemented programs outlined in their Community Benefits Agreement as part of their 17-acre campus expansion into West Harlem.
Radhy was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up in the predominantly Hispanic section of Washington Heights, NYC. He graduated from Le Moyne College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing & Management, and from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs with an Master of Public Administration (MPA).
With a passion for serving underprivileged communities and his proven track record in community relations and program management, Radhy Miranda continues to dedicate his career to promoting equity, economic opportunity, and positive social change.
Episode 3: Latinx Parenting – Learning from Our Latinx Fathers
Monday, October 30, 2023, 3 – 4:30 PM ET / 12 – 1:30 PM PT
How do Latinx fathers navigate gender norms, biases, and cultural beliefs as they parent their children? What is it like for Latinx fathers to raise children in the U.S.? We’ll listen to Latinx fathers to find out! Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support.
Adrián Pedroza
Father, National Executive Director of Opening Doors
Adrián Pedroza is the National Executive Director of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors. AP/OD’s mission is to honor and support parents/caregivers as leaders and as their children’s first teachers. With over 25 years of community-based experience, Adrián has worked in social impact areas from cradle to career, developing educational and economic opportunities for communities and families.
Before joining AP/OD, Adrián spent ten years as the Executive Director of the Partnership for Community Action (PCA) in New Mexico, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities by investing in families. In 2011, President Obama appointed Adrián as a Commissioner to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, where he focused on raising awareness and resources for early childhood education for six years.
Adrián is a 2022 Ascend at Aspen Institute Fellow, a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellow alumnus, and serves on multiple non-profit boards including Brazelton Touchpoints Center, CHI St. Joseph’s Children, National Parent Leadership Institute, and the Explora Children’s Museum.
Before joining AP/OD, Adrián spent ten years as the Executive Director of the Partnership for Community Action (PCA) in New Mexico, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities by investing in families. In 2011, President Obama appointed Adrián as a Commissioner to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, where he focused on raising awareness and resources for early childhood education for six years.
Adrián is a 2022 Ascend at Aspen Institute Fellow, a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellow alumnus, and serves on multiple non-profit boards including Brazelton Touchpoints Center, CHI St. Joseph’s Children, National Parent Leadership Institute, and the Explora Children’s Museum.
Joseph Tomás Mckellar
Father, Executive Director of PICO California
Joseph Tomás Mckellar is Executive Director of PICO California, the largest faith-based organizing network in the state, whose mission is to catalyze faith-based and spiritually-centered people power in California to create systemic change for the most vulnerable so that all people can belong and thrive.
Joseph guides PICO’s statewide organizing to transform the criminal justice system, protect and promote immigrant families, increase affordable, family-sustaining housing, and create an inclusive economy. He is a first-generation college graduate from the University of San Diego, and the parent of a 17-month-old son who is the light of his life.
Joseph guides PICO’s statewide organizing to transform the criminal justice system, protect and promote immigrant families, increase affordable, family-sustaining housing, and create an inclusive economy. He is a first-generation college graduate from the University of San Diego, and the parent of a 17-month-old son who is the light of his life.
Episode 4: Latinx Parenting – Supporting Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Monday, November 13, 2023, 3 – 4:30 PM ET / 12 – 1:30 PM PT
What does mental health mean for our Latinx babies and young children? What does it look like, and what makes it happen? How do we create safe and nurturing spaces in our families to support social and emotional well-being and children’s mental health? How might the COVID-19 pandemic, other community-wide events, and our children’s cultural identities come together to impact our children’s emotional health?
Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support.
Fredy Moreno
Father, School Psychologist
Fredy Moreno is a school psychologist with 15 years of experience working with students from pre-school to high school. He works closely with teachers and administrators to implement effective strategies for improving the school environment and promoting positive student outcomes. Fredy’s goal is to help students thrive both academically and emotionally. He is dedicated to providing support, guidance, and resources to ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Shantel E. Meek, Ph.D.
Mother, Executive Director of Children’s Equity Project (CEP)
Dr. Shantel E. Meek is the Executive Director of the Children’s Equity Project (CEP) and a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University. The CEP is a multi-university initiative that aims to close opportunity gaps between children from historically marginalized communities and their peers. Dr. Meek previously served in the Obama Administration as a Senior Policy Advisor for Early Childhood Development at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and as a Senior Policy Advisor for Education in the Domestic Policy Council at the White House.
She is the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and her personal experiences as a Latina and first-generation college graduate from a small border town inform her work and contribute to her drive to improve the learning conditions of children from historically marginalized communities. Today, she lives in Phoenix with her husband and two babies, both of whom are growing up bilingual.
She is the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and her personal experiences as a Latina and first-generation college graduate from a small border town inform her work and contribute to her drive to improve the learning conditions of children from historically marginalized communities. Today, she lives in Phoenix with her husband and two babies, both of whom are growing up bilingual.
Episode 5: Latinx Parenting – Fostering and Elevating the Strengths of our Latinx Children
Monday, November 27, 2023, 3 – 4:30 PM ET / 12 – 1:30 PM PT
How do multilingualism/biculturalism, familismo, personalismo, and respeto, help develop and foster strong cultural identities for our children? How do we create pathways that build on the strengths of our children and families?
Join us as we create a Latinx parent community of mutual learning and support.
Vickie Ramos Harris
Mother, Vice President of Policy and Programs at Catalyst California
For over two decades, Vickie has advocated for social justice in education, leading with a “community-based policy making” that centers on the assets of children, families and community. At Catalyst California, she leads policy advocacy across the Birth to 12th grade system to advance racial equity and economic justice, focusing on areas including: early childhood, K-12 and bilingual education; providing joyful, robust, culturally and linguistically affirming learning environments for dual language learners, English Learners and children of color; building holistic “whole-child” approaches that support the well-being of families; and full and fair funding for public education.
She is a proud California Latina, raising a Black Latina preschooler with her husband in Los Angeles, working together to instill a love of her Mexican and Black American roots.
She is a proud California Latina, raising a Black Latina preschooler with her husband in Los Angeles, working together to instill a love of her Mexican and Black American roots.
Questions? Contact Nelson Artavia
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