Monserrat Rosales-Navaro on Fox 32 Chicago

If you tuned in to Fox 32 Chicago on Sunday, October 27 during the 5pm news hour, you might've seen Family Support Specialist Monserrat Rosales-Navaro who was interviewed by anchor Sylvia Perez as a first-time Latina voter!

In addition to her role as a Family Support Specialist at our North Lawndale flagship site, Monserrat is involved in our Advocacy Committee and represented the Center in Springfield during Early Childhood Advocacy Day this past April.

Center Featured in Forbes, Fortune, and Entrepeneur Magazines 

Advancing social justice by engaging families and providing high-quality learning opportunities in historically disinvested communities is the Center’s highest priority. This vital work was featured in an article titled “Building Equity Through Family Empowerment and High-Quality Educational Options,” which ran in the August editions of Forbes, Fortune, and Entrepreneur magazines. “We’re creating a groundbreaking model for high-quality early childhood education and youth development in Chicago and beyond,” President and CEO Bela Moté said in the feature. “We’ve come a long way, but we’re not done yet.”

Honoring our Legacy: Legacy Week 2024

Center youth and staff honored the lives of our namesake Carole Robertson, and her classmates Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair during our annual Legacy Week in September. From creating vibrant paintings and murals to our annual Peace March, Legacy Week reminds us to continually uplift our children and families by upholding a nurturing, safe place to learn and grow. Local media outlets, including WGN and Austin Weekly News, covered the Peace March, highlighting the importance of remembering—and teaching future generations about—the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and the Civil Rights Movement.

Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month 

This Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), we helped families curate home libraries that actively challenge bias, celebrate the diversity of Latine identities, and provide young learners with opportunities to learn about and appreciate all cultures.

In collaboration with our amazing Social Justice and Equity committee, we sent families home with the children’s book ¡Solo pregunta!: Sé Diferente, Sé Valiente, Sé Tú! by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

TransformED: A New Name to Reflect our Growing Impact

Formerly known as Grow Your Own, the Carole Robertson Center’s apprenticeship model now goes by a new name: TransformED! Launched in 2021, TransformED addresses the critical early education workforce shortage by creating pathways for professional development, continuing education, and economic opportunity. To date, TransformED has created 80 entry-level early education jobs, with the opportunity for participants to grow in their careers. By recruiting directly from the communities we serve, welcoming jobseekers with nontraditional backgrounds, and engaging in mentorship through and beyond earning one's CDA (Child Development Associate credential), TransformED eliminates barriers to gainful employment while ensuring that the Center's classrooms are staffed by professionals whose lived experiences mirror those of our children, youth, and families.

Executive Fellows Shadow ECE Teachers during Erikson Day of Service

What goes into building brains? Lots and lots of play, guided by nimble-minded teachers and rooted in data-driven curriculum. In August, Executive Fellows from Erikson Institute shadowed early childhood educators at our North Lawndale flagship site, learning the ins and outs of child development through sing-a-long sessions, lessons on body parts, building block activities, and more.

Scholarship Recipient Gissell Garnica Completes UIC Internship

Gissell Garnica, an alumna of our youth development programs and this year’s Carole Robertson Memorial Scholarship Awardee, recently completed an internship at UIC. There, she gained hands-on experience in health advocacy, college prep, and job readiness. From learning to suture and perform dissections to becoming CPR certified, Gissell is well on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a sonographer! Gissell’s story demonstrates how high-quality mentorship programs empower youth to see—and actualize—bright possibilities within themselves.

Environmental Justice Changemakers: Youth Featured on 88.3FM

Teens in our Environmental Justice Program ended their summer on the airwaves, collaborating with WRZD 88.3 FM, Northeastern Illinois University’s student-run radio station, on a live podcast to raise awareness of environmental issues impacting our city. This broadcast was the culminating project for their Environmental Justice Program with After School Matters.

Youth at YMCA Camp Duncan!

The Carole Robertson Center's youth campers got to experience swimming, crafts, and team building activities during their recent visit to YMCA Camp Duncan! Their overnight camp stay was filled with outdoor learning, teambuilding activities, laughter, and memories to last a lifetime. Much thanks to our generous donors, our Youth Development team, and the staff at YMCA Camp Duncan for making these cherished moments possible for our community's kids.

 Ana Hernandez Wins Home Visiting Award Impact Award for Chicago Region

Congratulations to Home Visitor Ana Hernandez on winning the Chicago Region’s Home Visiting Impact Award! This award recognizes Ana's outstanding contributions to our Home Visiting program, her dedication to fostering family well-being, and her commitment to the communities we serve. Ana was honored at the Illinois Home Visiting Summit Celebration Dinner in Springfield earlier this month, part of the Annual Prevent Child Abuse Illinois Statewide Conference. Congratulations to Ana and our Home Visiting team on this huge recognition!

Center Leaders Speak on Erikson Panel About Nurturing Early Childhood Workforce

On September 27, Erikson Institute brought together early education leaders—including our North Lawndale Site Director LaTonya Jones and President and CEO Bela Moté—to discuss innovative strategies in early childhood education. From LaTonya sharing her career journey from parent to educator and site director, to Bela addressing systemic inequities in the early education workforce, a strong call to action emerged: It takes all of us to create environments that support the growth of both our children and workforce. Read the full story on Erikson's blog.