It’s common knowledge that educators in black communities are generally overworked, underfunded, and underappreciated, but Dr. Bisa Batten Lewis is on a mission to change that. She’s the right person for the job too, considering her valuable experience in the academic workplace. Not only has she earned four degrees in education, including Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Early Childhood Education, and Master’s and Doctor of Education degrees in Adult Education, but she has also taught in elementary school, high school, and university levels. Even after serving as a college dean, Dr. Bisa didn’t stop there. She has since become a best-selling author and international speaker, devoting her time to workshops and keynotes that help other educators and administrators excel. Currently, she is an indispensable leader of Black Child Development Institute-Atlanta, or BCDI-Atlanta, and will be hosting the organization’s fourth annual culturally responsive early education summit as she seeks to help educators receive the resources they need to create diverse and inclusive environments for the children they serve.
BCDI-Atlanta centers around improving the quality of life for Black families, communities, and children ages 0-8, specifically. The organization’s hope is that by utilizing programs, policy, and advocacy, members and others can participate in activities that address civic matters affecting children and families of Georgia’s Black communities. BCDI-Atlanta also has a Powerful Families initiative, which they use to support families, childcare programs, schools, and communities in Atlanta to engage more intentionally and appropriately with the young children in their lives, whether they need help at local or state levels.
Black Child Development Institute-Atlanta will be holding its fourth annual Culturally Responsive Early Education and Care Leadership Summit this February, which will mirror the Black experience and focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. Through a continued partnership with United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Strong Learners initiative, the summit will include 14 sessions covering culturally responsive leadership practices such as hiring the right teachers for the job and learning appropriate ways to educate Black children. The summit will additionally include information on how to ensure one’s practice suitably addresses its intended audience, and summit attendees can expect resource recommendations for culturally appropriate books, representations, and posters for classrooms.
This year’s summit will include a keynote speech from Mark A. Davis, president and lead consultant of the Non-Profit Connection, a network of authorities on Head Start and Early Head Start systems. Davis is also a certified nonprofit and leadership expert, and those attending the summit can anticipate learning from his wealth of knowledge as he delivers the keynote address in the morning and the call to action to close the event in the evening. The BCDI-Atlanta summit will feature entertainment, consisting of a storytelling by Ms. Ashley and her Nguzo Babies, demonstrating for education leaders and families best practices for actively engaging with their children and educating them on uncomfortable topics.
To all interested in BCDI-Atlanta and its mission, register to attend the event! The leadership summit will take place at the Loudermilk Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 21, 2023, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM EST. Tickets for this event can be found online, and more information on BCDI-Atlanta can be found at their website. Join Dr. Bisa Batten Lewis, BCDI-Atlanta, and early education leaders in their mission to improve learning for Black children and their families, and help change the status quo for educators who deserve to be properly funded, promoted to leadership positions and abundantly appreciated.
