ELM is focused on racial equity for good reason—because biases built into our early learning system create barriers for children of color even before they step foot in a school.

The Student Success Act presents a tremendous opportunity for students and families. School districts and early learning hubs across the state are being asked to engage their communities to understand the needs of students and families as a first step toward investing these new resources.

#WeCountOregon is a coordinated statewide effort working in rural and urban communities around Oregon to ensure that the Census is equitable, fair, and just, and that every Oregonian is counted. The Census Equity Funders Committee of Oregon (CEFCO) is raising $10 million to support a campaign to reach out to communities that are more likely to be undercounted. United Way of the Columbia Willamette is serving as the backbone organization for CEFCO.

The root causes of inequities impact families and children across our county in lots of ways, every day. The work we do at Early Learning Multnomah and the programs we invest in have to reflect the reality of that diversity of experience and opportunity. As Oregon prepares to make new investments in early learning, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the significant work that has happened since the beginning of this year.