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A young woman with brown hair stands on a beach

Imagine Spotlight: Alexis Wynne

This week, we are excited to highlight Alexis Wynne, who runs a family home child care business in Auburn, Washington.   MEET ALEXIS Alexis grew up in the child care business. Her mother, Carli Meek, started Little Steps Discovery Zone when Alexis was 7 years old and her sister was a baby. When she was a young teenager, Alexis started volunteering at Little Steps. She took a break after graduating high school, but she soon found her way back to child care.

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Two women, a mother and her adult daughter, sit in a car together

Imagine Spotlight: Carli Meek

This week, we are excited to highlight Carli Meek, the program manager for Imagine U and a longtime child care provider in Auburn, Washington.   MEET CARLI When Carli had her second daughter in 2004, she had just finished dental assistant school. But her plans quickly changed. Her sister also had a newborn, and the two enjoyed staying home with their babies so much, they decided to start a family home child care business. “I was able to stay home with my

Read More
A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 9: Final Remarks," with an image of a Black person with a green, yellow and red flag draped over their shoulders

Black History Month 2024: Final Remarks

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Throughout this series, we have covered some parts of Black History in celebration of Black History Month 2024. To wrap up this series,

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A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 8: Soul Food," with an image of a white bowl filled with shrimp and grits

Celebrating Black History Month 2024 – Soul Food

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. All About Soul Food Soul food originated in the American south during the Antebellum period and is associated with the cuisine of the

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A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 7: Literature & Resistance," with an image of a Black man in a beige sweater and jeans reading a book

Celebrating Black History Month 2024 – “The Art of Resistance”: Protesting Through Literature

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Influence of Literature Literature is a fundamental avenue of Black expression in the United States, and one that has been historically suppressed. Pre-dating

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A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 6: Protesting Through Song," with an image of a vinyl record

Celebrating Black History Month 2024 – “The Art of Resistance”: Protesting Through Song

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Song writing and performance has been a marker of protest and resistance for Black Americans for centuries. It is also a marker of

Read More
A graphic with the text "Celebrating Black History Month: Part 5: Presidential Proclamation and Theme," and an image of an official letter

Black History Month 2024: Presidential Proclamation and Theme

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. On January 31st 2024, President Joseph R. Biden released A Proclamation on National Black History Month, 2024. It has been customary for all

Read More
A graphic with the text "Celebrating Black History Month: Part 4: Diversity within the Black community," and an image of silhouettes in green, red, yellow, and black.

Diversity within the Black Community: 46.8 million people in the US identify as Black

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Diversity in the Black Community The 2020 census shows that 13.6% of the US population identifies as Black or African American. It is

Read More
A graphic with the text "Celebrating Black History Month Part Three: Children's Books for Black History Month" with the Image of a Young Black Girl Reading a Book

Children’s Books for Black History Month

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Yesterday, we shared a list of Washington-based Black-owned places to buy books. Today, we have a wonderful list of books for young readers

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February Activities for Kids and Families

February is the shortest month, but it’s also one of the busiest of the year. We celebrate so many things, including Valentine’s Day, so we decided to compile a list of activities for providers to do with their kids that is fun and easy. Have fun! Indoor Tie-Dye Designs – Tie-dye is usually an outdoor activity since it can be messy, but in the cold weather, you can still let kids do it indoors. First, grab some white cloth and put it

Read More
A young woman with brown hair stands on a beach

Imagine Spotlight: Alexis Wynne

This week, we are excited to highlight Alexis Wynne, who runs a family home child care business in Auburn, Washington.   MEET ALEXIS Alexis grew up in the child care business. Her mother, Carli Meek, started Little Steps Discovery Zone when Alexis was 7 years old and her sister was a baby. When she was a young teenager, Alexis started volunteering at Little Steps. She took a break after graduating high school, but she soon found her way back to child care.

Read More
Two women, a mother and her adult daughter, sit in a car together

Imagine Spotlight: Carli Meek

This week, we are excited to highlight Carli Meek, the program manager for Imagine U and a longtime child care provider in Auburn, Washington.   MEET CARLI When Carli had her second daughter in 2004, she had just finished dental assistant school. But her plans quickly changed. Her sister also had a newborn, and the two enjoyed staying home with their babies so much, they decided to start a family home child care business. “I was able to stay home with my

Read More
A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 9: Final Remarks," with an image of a Black person with a green, yellow and red flag draped over their shoulders

Black History Month 2024: Final Remarks

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Throughout this series, we have covered some parts of Black History in celebration of Black History Month 2024. To wrap up this series,

Read More
A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 8: Soul Food," with an image of a white bowl filled with shrimp and grits

Celebrating Black History Month 2024 – Soul Food

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. All About Soul Food Soul food originated in the American south during the Antebellum period and is associated with the cuisine of the

Read More
A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 7: Literature & Resistance," with an image of a Black man in a beige sweater and jeans reading a book

Celebrating Black History Month 2024 – “The Art of Resistance”: Protesting Through Literature

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Influence of Literature Literature is a fundamental avenue of Black expression in the United States, and one that has been historically suppressed. Pre-dating

Read More
A graphic that reads: "Celebrating Black History Month Part 6: Protesting Through Song," with an image of a vinyl record

Celebrating Black History Month 2024 – “The Art of Resistance”: Protesting Through Song

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Song writing and performance has been a marker of protest and resistance for Black Americans for centuries. It is also a marker of

Read More
A graphic with the text "Celebrating Black History Month: Part 5: Presidential Proclamation and Theme," and an image of an official letter

Black History Month 2024: Presidential Proclamation and Theme

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. On January 31st 2024, President Joseph R. Biden released A Proclamation on National Black History Month, 2024. It has been customary for all

Read More
A graphic with the text "Celebrating Black History Month: Part 4: Diversity within the Black community," and an image of silhouettes in green, red, yellow, and black.

Diversity within the Black Community: 46.8 million people in the US identify as Black

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Diversity in the Black Community The 2020 census shows that 13.6% of the US population identifies as Black or African American. It is

Read More
A graphic with the text "Celebrating Black History Month Part Three: Children's Books for Black History Month" with the Image of a Young Black Girl Reading a Book

Children’s Books for Black History Month

Throughout the month of February, we are sharing posts written by Imagine Institute training program assistant Lourdes Flores about Black History Month. This series will follow the long history of Black History Month, Black History in the United States, and how we can all celebrate Black History Month in a way that is supportive, healthy, and, most importantly, empowering. Yesterday, we shared a list of Washington-based Black-owned places to buy books. Today, we have a wonderful list of books for young readers

Read More

February Activities for Kids and Families

February is the shortest month, but it’s also one of the busiest of the year. We celebrate so many things, including Valentine’s Day, so we decided to compile a list of activities for providers to do with their kids that is fun and easy. Have fun! Indoor Tie-Dye Designs – Tie-dye is usually an outdoor activity since it can be messy, but in the cold weather, you can still let kids do it indoors. First, grab some white cloth and put it

Read More