Welcome to the December 2020 issue of the Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing (NOW) Innovation Forum newsletter. We are excited to wrap up the year with a newsletter full of opportunities to engage with the NOW community in 2021. Peer Learning Clusters will begin in early 2021, be sure to let us know if you are interested in participating. Check out our latest episode of In The Arena with NOW, share the 2020 NOW Webinar series: Learning and Transforming Together: Community- Centered Equity Practices, with a leader in your community and explore the newly added resources, including Transformational Capacity Building.  Please take time to care for yourself over the next couple of weeks. Happy holiday and the NOW team  wishes you all a wonderful new year. We look forward to connecting with you NOW and in the future! 

Bienvenido a la edición de diciembre 2020 del boletín del Foro de innovación de Redes de Oportunidades para el Bienestar Infantil. Estamos muy contentos de terminar el año con un boletín lleno de oportunidades para interactuar con la comunidad NOW en el 2021. Los grupos de aprendizaje entre pares comienzan a principios de 2021. Si está interesado en participar, asegúrese de informarnos. Vea nuestro último episodio de In The Arena with NOW , comparta la serie de seminarios web NOW 2020: Aprender y Transformar Juntos: prácticas de equidad centradas en la comunidad, con un líder en tu comunidad y explore los recursos que recién agregamos, incluyendo el desarrollo de capacidades transformacionales. Toma un tiempo para cuidarse durante las próximas semanas. Felices vacaciones y el equipo NOW les desea a todos un maravilloso año nuevo. ¡Esperamos conectarnos contigo AHORA y en el futuro!

Launching 2021: Join a Peer Learning Cluster

Connect with diverse leaders across the country on special topics, such as family engagement, trauma informed practice, and early childhood education workforce development. Hosted by some of the original NOW Learning Community leaders, this opportunity is for those who seek to learn from one another through a peer learning community. If you are interested in joining a Peer Learning Cluster, please complete this short interest form. 

In The Arena with NOW Podcast

• Episode 13: Essex County Council for Young Children: Centering Parent Leadership to Foster a Trauma Informed Newark: Tune in to learn about the innovative work that the Essex County Council for Young Children (ECCYC) is leading to foster meaningful cross-sector partnerships between agencies and parents to create healthy, thriving, and resilient communities. Listen here > >

• Episode 12: Brazelton Touchpoints Center: Honoring the Strengths and Expertise of Children and Caregivers: This podcast episode brings us back home to Boston, Massachusetts, where the Brazelton Touchpoints Center is committed to shifting mindsets and mental models to honor the dignity of children and their caregivers as a key strategy for creating a sustainable world where children grow up to be thriving adults in their local community. Listen here >>

Webinar:

• Webinar Archives: Learn more about previous webinars that were part of the 2020 Webinar series, Learning and Transforming Together: Community-Centered Equity Practices.

  • November 19: Creating Pathways for Community Leadership: Learn from a powerful discussion between community leaders who are creating sustainable leadership pathways for parents, caregivers, and community stakeholders to not only participate, but also design and implement systems change efforts.

  •  July 30: Community-Driven Policy Advocacy: Upholding the Dignity of Immigrant Children and Families Change:  On July 30, we learned from amazing advocates across the country who are working to dismantle structural racism not only within the immigration system, but other sectors, institutions, and programs that serve immigrant children and families. View Archive >> 

  • April 30: Operationalizing Equity Through Participatory Data Storytelling: View archive materials from our April 30 webinar, Operationalizing Equity through Participatory Data Storytelling. Learn from speakers who discuss why equity matters for data storytelling, share strategies for data visualization and participatory processes, and provide a virtual walk through of Vital Village’s Community Housing Data Tool and Child Wellbeing Tracker. Spanish audio and summary materials are available.  View archive >>

Latest Blogs

• Community Champion: Lucas Sensius, by Tiffany Rodriguez. The December 2020 edition of the Community Champion blog series lifts up Lucas Sensius from the Vital Village Networks.

• Mattapan Residents Mapping History, Future, by Morgan C. Mullings, Bay State Banner. Check out this piece that lifts up Allentza Michel, a featured speaker at the November 2020 NOW Webinar: Creating Pathways for Community Leadership.

• A Journey of Growth and Compassion: Conrad Robinson, by Camila Beiner. The first edition of a new blog series that highlights the work of diverse leadership from community leaders across the country who are working to address the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racism injustice in their local communities. 

• Submit a resource or tool to the NOW Innovation Forum Resource Library. The resource library is a space created for you to lift up the work of yourself, your coalitions and your community. Share data tools, infographics, reports and other tools centered on advancing community equity. Submit here >>

• Policing and the Harmful Impacts on Child Wellbeing, by The Children’s Partnership. The first brief of the Racism and Child Health series, published by The Children's Partnership, offers a look at how the systemic racism that permeates U.S. law enforcement harms the health of BIPOC children. Read more >>

• Transformational Capacity Building, published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. This report provides seven foundational elements of transformational capacity building that support grassroots organizations, with a focus on nonprofits of color. Read more >>

• Food Sovereignty Funding Opportunity! The First Nations Development Institute launched a funding opportunity titled "Gather Food Sovereignty Grant." The funding opportunity will support work contributing to building a national movement that will fulfill a vision of Native communities and food systems that are self-directed, well-resourced, and supported by community policies and systems. First Nations expects to award up to 13 grant awards of approximately $32,000 to support Native American-led food sovereignty work. Applications are due Thursday, January 14, 2021.

#VillageinMind

The NOW community hopes to stay connected and lift up the work and stories of all of our members. Follow and tag us on Twitter, @NOW_WellChild & @Vital_Village, so that we can virtually highlight the community led transformation you are leading.