"Taking Our Place on the Earth: The Evolution of Black Consciousness"

For over 50 years the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has been at the forefront of engaging leaders, policymakers, professionals, and parents around critical and timely issues that directly impact Black children and their families. We are a trusted partner in delivering culturally relevant resources that respond to the unique strengths and needs of Black children around issues including early childhood education, health, child welfare, literacy, and family engagement.

From its inception, NBCDI’s focus has been on achieving positive outcomes for vulnerable children who suffer from the dual legacies of poverty and racial discrimination. The organization was launched by the Black Women’s Community Development Foundation, whose leadership, in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, was deeply concerned about the unsatisfactory conditions faced by families determined to raise healthy Black children. By organizing NBCDI as a national advocacy group, they created a unified movement to develop strategies to improve the life circumstances of the Black child through policy change.

BCDI is a leading organization working on behalf of children of color. BCDI- Charlotte’s future is about growth and sustainability, forging new boundaries, and promoting strengths-based programs and policies that lift up our children in the context of their families, communities, and cultures. We will host our 6th annual Jazz Brunch, a benefit to gain support for the programs that Charlotte Mecklenburg children and their families have benefited from over the years. In particular, The Purging the Preschool to Prison Pipeline policy work. This brunch is an opportunity to learn about the work of BCDI-Charlotte, network with community leaders, enjoy local jazz artists, and invest in our community’s future (our youth)!

Join us on Earth Day as we take our place and dwell in the evolution of Black Consciousness!