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Celebrate Juneteenth

June 14, 2021

The Imagine Institute joins the national push to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday The Imagine Institute is proud to announce the recognition of Juneteenth as an official paid holiday. Observed annually on June 19th, Imagine will close its offices on that day with employees receiving paid holiday time. When Juneteenth falls over a weekend, the office will close the Friday before or the Monday after. The Imagine Institute is proud to join the ranks of states recognizing Juneteenth, including Washington, Massachusetts,

Pride Month with Kids!

June 11, 2021

Why do we celebrate Pride? Since the 1970s, Pride has been observed annually in the month of June. Beyond parades and parties, it is a meaningful time to celebrate the fantastic diversity of our families, friends, and people we care about, and a time to honor their fight for equality. No matter who you are or what your family looks like, know that you are loved and valued just for being you. Check out the following resources for helping celebrate Pride within

Imagine Spotlight: Tracy Dawson

June 9, 2021

TRACY DAWSON This week, we are proud to feature Imagine Trainer and Imagine U Lead Mentor, Tracy Dawson. Tracy Dawson is an Imagine superstar! According to her colleagues, “she doesn’t realize how magical she is.” Owner of Tracy’s Tikes Day-Care & Preschool, she is a licensed family child care provider in Grays Harbor County who has served children since 2009. As an advocate for all early childhood educators, Tracy has coordinated meetings and events to bring providers together to discuss professional development

Imagine Staff Spotlight: Amelia Vassar

June 1, 2021

GET TO KNOW AMELIA VASSAR Meet Amelia, The Imagine Institute’s Director for Equity and Evaluation! Amelia has been with Imagine for over two years and was instrumental in creating the PREPARE for Care program, creating anti-racist and trauma-informed curriculum for early child care providers to implement into their care environment. Before joining the Imagine team, Amelia worked for SEIU 925, SEIU Local 6, adoption/foster care, domestic violence, and most recently at Lifelong performing case management for individuals living with HIV. Her passion

Family, Friend and Neighbor Care Givers

May 24, 2021

LEARN ABOUT FAMILY, FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR (FFN) PROVIDERS Family, Friend, and Neighbor providers, or FFN providers, play an essential role in providing child care for families throughout the United States. As their name implies, these providers care for children who are family, friends, and neighbors within their communities. There are many reasons families choose family, friend and neighbor care. For instance, many parents like knowing their child is being cared for by a trusted adult with an established bond of love and

Celebrating Moms and Mother Figures In Our Lives

May 9, 2021

Mother’s Day is a special holiday that can also bring some complicated emotions to the surface. Sure, we were all brought into the world by a “mother,” but life has a way of working out differently for everyone. Unconventional family structures are becoming more standard than the traditional family unit seen in movies from the 1950s. Some providers have expressed struggles with presenting Mother’s Day activities that are inclusive of all children in their care- those without mothers, with two mothers, or

Ramadan Mubarak

May 4, 2021

Happy Ramadan! Food is a wonderful way to bring together family. This year, whether you’re celebrating together in person or virtually due to the pandemic, here are some recipe ideas for your family to share as you break your fast at iftar or plan ahead to Eid. Haleem is a slow-cooked stew and a staple dish in the Middle East, Pakistan, India, and Central Asia. If you have an Instant Pot, this recipe is easy and tasty! Yakhni Pulao is a signature

Earth Day 2021: 10 Earth Day-Inspired Classroom Activities

April 22, 2021

Today we look back to the founding of Earth Day and some ways you can observe the day within your classrooms. Spring and summer months are a wonderful time to bring kids into nature and share the love of the incredible planet we call home. Read on to hear how Earth Day first came to be as well as some suggestions for encouraging ecology in your classroom. After more than a century of industrialization in the United States, by the 1950s it

Imagine Spotlight: June Steen

March 23, 2021

This week, we are proud to feature Imagine U Mentor and SEIU 925 member, June Steen. June Steen “We are a powerful group helping create the future of child care,” says June Steen, thinking about her peer group of mentors and the interns she helped graduate at Imagine U. June’s passion for child care and education has been a driving force in her life. June worked for Child Protective Services in Texas and supervised foster care placements in Tennessee. Caring for kids

Stop the Hate

March 19, 2021

The Imagine Institute condemns all forms of hate, violence and racism. We are united in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and believe that we must work together to educate, and embrace all of our differences. Enough is enough. We are human. Let’s continue to empower the children and our community with tools and education to support people of color and justice for all. #StopAsianHate #StopTheHate #StopAAPIHate #StrongerTogether BOOKS, LINKS AND RESOURCES Asian Americans Advancing Justice Hollaback! Free Bystander

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