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Imagine U at Local Events September 2024

The Imagine Institute’s vision of affordable, high-quality care for every child in Washington State is rooted in community. We aim to build an accessible, strong, and diverse development system that elevates and improves the lives of child care providers and professionals and a huge part of that involves going out into our region and meeting potential providers face-to-face. This September, Imagine U, the Imagine Institute’s relationship-based mentorship program, is attending a couple of events out in the community. Imagine U identifies potential

Read More

Increasing Child Care Access in Whatcom County

The Imagine Institute and Whatcom County Health and Community Services are working together to support working families by increasing access to licensed child care, right in your community. Know someone in Whatcom County who would like to join Imagine U this year and start their own family home child care business? This program takes only 10 months and provides compensation for hands-on learning! About Imagine U Imagine U is a relationship-based mentorship program designed to increase the number of licensed family child

Read More
A graphic that reads "Picture Books for Safety Month" in an octagon the color of a stop sign, with other street signs in the background

Encourage Safety Skills with Fun Picture Books

Communities all over the country recognize National Safety Month each June. Picture books are a fun way to teach personal and community safety skills in ways that make kids laugh and listen. How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague Giant, colorful, feathery, silly dinosaurs learn about everything from safely crossing the street to dialing 9-1-1 in this rhyming story that reminds kids they can always make good choices (and will make them laugh, too.) No Dragons for Tea:

Read More

Imagine Spotlight Pierce County: Diego Ramos

The Imagine Institute helps support early learning providers all across Washington State, and like to keep track of the progress these providers are making. This week, we want to introduce you to Diego Ramos, who is helping kids in Pierce County, and helping to start a new trend in helping other providers in his community.   MEET DIEGO Diego lives in Tacoma and has been a licensed family home child care provider for about three years, but his training goes back even

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

Imagine U at Local Events September 2024

The Imagine Institute’s vision of affordable, high-quality care for every child in Washington State is rooted in community. We aim to build an accessible, strong, and diverse development system that elevates and improves the lives of child care providers and professionals and a huge part of that involves going out into our region and meeting potential providers face-to-face. This September, Imagine U, the Imagine Institute’s relationship-based mentorship program, is attending a couple of events out in the community. Imagine U identifies potential

Read More

Increasing Child Care Access in Whatcom County

The Imagine Institute and Whatcom County Health and Community Services are working together to support working families by increasing access to licensed child care, right in your community. Know someone in Whatcom County who would like to join Imagine U this year and start their own family home child care business? This program takes only 10 months and provides compensation for hands-on learning! About Imagine U Imagine U is a relationship-based mentorship program designed to increase the number of licensed family child

Read More
A graphic that reads "Picture Books for Safety Month" in an octagon the color of a stop sign, with other street signs in the background

Encourage Safety Skills with Fun Picture Books

Communities all over the country recognize National Safety Month each June. Picture books are a fun way to teach personal and community safety skills in ways that make kids laugh and listen. How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague Giant, colorful, feathery, silly dinosaurs learn about everything from safely crossing the street to dialing 9-1-1 in this rhyming story that reminds kids they can always make good choices (and will make them laugh, too.) No Dragons for Tea:

Read More

Imagine Spotlight Pierce County: Diego Ramos

The Imagine Institute helps support early learning providers all across Washington State, and like to keep track of the progress these providers are making. This week, we want to introduce you to Diego Ramos, who is helping kids in Pierce County, and helping to start a new trend in helping other providers in his community.   MEET DIEGO Diego lives in Tacoma and has been a licensed family home child care provider for about three years, but his training goes back even

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