Pre-Conference Workshop – To Be or Not to Be…That is the Answer: Empowering Underserved Parents to Be Present for Their Children at Home, School, and as a Community Change Agent

The true heart of parenting extends from doing right for one’s own child to looking out for the best interests of all children. It involves understanding what that means and recognizing that the world is not always receptive. This can often be confusing and frustrating for parents. This discussion will emphasize our collective experiences in facilitating a mindful approach to parenting children and youth, and in organizing parents to be advocates for their children’s education. We will explore various transformative approaches intended to assist parents in managing some of these parenting, family, and community systems challenges. We will discuss myriad ways in which this is happening in diverse communities across the country, and consider how these approaches complement each other in promoting better academic and social outcomes for children and their families.