Equity & Justice
We are committed to viewing all our work with a race equity lens
Our goal is to improve equity and justice for all Texas children and families and to find solutions for problems that disproportionately affect communities of color. We do this by collecting data to identify inequities, collaborating for community-driven solutions, and advocating for equitable systems.
CHILDREN AT RISK has also identified diversity, equity, and inclusion as a core organizational value. We believe the power of diversity enriches us all by exposing us to a range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver solutions. CHILDREN AT RISK is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff and board and to honor their experiences, perspectives, and unique identities; and strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
One of the core values of CHILDREN AT RISK is Racial Equity. We desire to improve equity and justice for all children and families in Texas and to find solutions for problems that disproportionately affect communities of color. As such, we have made many strides toward our goal through tangible, measurable steps.
In 2021 we created the Texas Racial Equity Collaborative (TREC) with a 3-prong plan to:
Educate about racial disparities that hurt children and families and highlight opportunities and solutions that dismantle systemic racism;
Collaborate with individuals, businesses and organizations who are actively working to dismantle systemic racism; and
Advocate for legislation that closes racial gaps, eliminates systemic racism and tracks the effects of policies on BIPOC children and families. Additionally, we pledge to oppose legislation that feeds systemic racism and inequity.
In 2022, we continued our commitment to equity, internally and externally, through the following activities:
- Adding a Chief Equity Officer to our senior leadership team.
- Holding quarterly DEI trainings and workshops for our staff.
- Creating a TREC internship program for students attending a Texas Historically Black College or University.
- Partnering with Prairie View A&M University to study and make recommendations for the sustainability and recruitment of BIPOC early childcare providers in the Quest for Equity and Quality Report.
- Hosting a TREC summit with statewide partners to develop goals for research and advocacy.
- Holding 8 Racial Equity Rapid Roundtable discussions on a variety of topics with national and statewide experts.
- Hosting free, accessible virtual programing that included, The State of Black Children, Summit on Basic Needs and Child Success, The State of Latinx Children, Health in the Borderlands and Creating an Equitable Path to STEM Careers.
Our commitment to racial equity for children and families will continue in 2023 with advocacy during the Texas Legislative Session with an Equity Rally Day at the Capitol and the release of a State of Inequities report that will highlight issues and offer solutions designed to breakdown barriers to success for all Texas families. We have much work to do, but we are grateful for the opportunity to make a difference and we won’t take this opportunity for granted.
Our Latest equity & Justice
Research & Resources
OP-ED: More Accountability for School Vouchers
As published in Dallas Morning News, August 31, 2022.Even as families are enjoying the first weeks of the school year, the challenges facing our education system remain more of the same. Many schools still have teacher vacancies and don’t have subject-certified...
C@R and Partners Present Third National Immigration Summit
This year, national advocates explored child-forward immigration policies, access to basic needs and mental health resources, education equity, and how to shift the narrative surrounding immigrants and immigration.On June 23, 2022, CHILDREN AT RISK hosted their third...
Experts Gathered to Discuss the Importance of Texas Mothers During May 5 Summit
Researchers and advocates gather to discuss federal and state policy implications maternal health outcomes, family planning, and economic justice at first-ever Texas Motherhood Summit.On May 5, Children at Risk and Texas Family Leadership Council (TXFLC) presented...
TREC Hosts Rapid Roundtable Centered on Immigration
Texas Racial Equity Collaborative (TREC) explores the intersection of the immigration and racial justice movements during June Rapid Roundtable discussion with advocates. CHILDREN AT RISK hosted its sixth Racial Equity Rapid Roundtable on June 22nd, a monthly...
C@R Celebrates Plyler V. Doe and DACA on June 15th
In 1982, the Court decided that “education has a fundamental role in maintaining the fabric of our society” and “provides the basic tools by which individuals might lead economically productive lives.” As the 40th anniversary of the ruling of Plyler v....
TREC Hosts Sixth Rapid Round Table Focused on the Quest for Equity & Quality
Dismantling the systemic barriers to provider participation in Texas’ QRIS and increasing access to high-quality ECE for children and families of color. Media Contact: Rashena Flagg, 713.301.4577 On Thursday, May 12, CHILDREN AT RISK and the Texas Racial Equity...
Petro-Proximate Learning in Texas
Media Contact: Rashena Flagg, 713.301.4577 Research shows petrochemical plants within close proximity to schools negatively impact a child’s performance. On April 25, CHILDREN AT RISK released a new report analyzing the proximity of petrochemical plants to...
Rapid Roundtable ǀ TREC Hosts Conversation Centered on Health Equity and Access in the Texas-Mexico Border Region
On Wednesday, April 6, CHILDREN AT RISK and the Texas Racial Equity Collaborative (TREC) hosted the fifth in a series of monthly roundtables centered on racial equities experienced by Texas children and their families. Each month, speakers discuss pervasive issues...
The Quest for Equity & Quality |Research
Exposure to high-quality child care is the foundation for a child’s academic and social-emotional success, especially for children from low-income families. Increasing access to subsidized child care is one of the many strategies used to provide affordable early...
CHILDREN AT RISK & TXFLC host “A Fighting Chance: Summit on Basic Needs and Child Success”
Health leaders, researchers, and advocates gathered to explore the basic needs children need to thrive and the best practices we can implement to better support them. In today's uncertain world, it's more important than ever to make sure our children have everything...
Rest & Resilience | Securing Children’s Well-Being Through Sleep
Sleep is an essential ingredient in children’s long-term health and development, yet at least 1 in 3 US children are not getting enough. In the most recent National Survey of Children’s Health, nearly 35% of children (ages 4 months – 17) received less than the...
CHILDREN AT RISK and Texas Family Leadership Council Host Second Annual State of Black Children in Texas
On Thursday, February 24, the Texas Family Leadership Council and CHILDREN AT RISK hosted the second annual State of Black Children summit. The summit, sponsored by Amazon and Amerigroup, explored the challenges Black children face growing up in Texas and how to best...