Advocacy
Lisa has developed a strong passion for early childhood advocacy work since her years as a classroom educator when she stopped referring to herself as a “preschool teacher” and started elevating herself as she interacted with the general population. She knew that we educators are the ones who must elevate our field and profession: “I am an early childhood educator, I work with young children,” she would tell the stranger next to her on the airplane. “Well, thank you, but it’s not just cute, fun, or easy; we actually work very hard every day to support our youngest learners as they navigate and learn about the world around them. We help them navigate relationships and face conflict.” That was just the beginning.
In 2020, she was invited to a conversation with other deep thinkers in the early childhood Jewish education field from around the country to address the growing concern that the early childhood field would crumble in light of the Covid pandemic when there was not enough funding to keep early childhood centers in action. This group became Shma Koleinu (Hebrew for Hear our Voices), advocating for the quality and rights of the country’s early childhood centers, educators, and families. In 2023, she joined the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to lobby on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. She advocated for increased funding for early childhood programs.
In 2023, she joined the National Association for theEducation of Young Children (NAEYC) to lobby on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. She advocated for increased funding for early childhood programs. We have an *opportunity* to lift up the field which so vitally supports ALL OTHER FIELDS when parents need to find care for their children so they can earn their own living at work.
Following her Capitol Hill experience, she founded Virginia Early Childhood Advocates (VECA), a grassroots group which was built upon the questions of “What is next?” and “How can we help our Senators elevate the Early Childhood profession?” As it turned out, Lisa wasn’t the only one with questions to ask ourselves, so VECA was built upon its own momentum. We cultivated organic, professional networking connections, offered each other a safe space to ask questions, and continue to support each other's large and small efforts in EC advocacy. We empower each other to strengthen our efforts from the grass up!
