The Manifesto 2.0: A Tool for Families to Help their Communities Thrive

When I first read the Parent Edition of the Manifesto for Race Equity and Parent Leadership, it was hard for me to get past the phrase “Parents know what’s best for their children.” As a child growing up in foster care, I’m pretty sure my mom didn’t know what was best for me, or herself, at the time. But as I read the stories, experiences, and wisdom of the parents who contributed to the Manifesto, something clicked. My emotions shifted from cynicism to empathy.

I think about how transformative it would have been if my mother—a Haitian woman who immigrated to Brooklyn, NY—had access to a parent leadership group. I think about how things might have been different for her as she navigated the complexities of young parenthood in a new country while carrying the weight of generational trauma. Perhaps she would have had access to childcare support or resources to ease the burden of single motherhood in a foreign place. She could have connected to peers who, through sharing resources and reminding her she was not alone, might have changed the trajectory of her life—and mine.

The Parent Edition of the Manifesto for Race Equity & Parent Leadership in Early Childhood Systems calls on us to amplify parent voices and equip them with the tools they need to drive systemic change and transform outcomes for children, especially Black and Brown children. Since 2019, guided by the original Manifesto, CSSP’s Parent Leader Network (PLN) and its partner organizations across the country have worked with parent leaders to develop their leadership, create career pathways, and gain visibility in spaces they may never have accessed otherwise. The PLN works to elevate the voice and leadership of parents affected by early childhood systems and demonstrates how parent advocacy can be transformative for communities at the local, state, and national level.

“It really gave me goosebumps to realize that I spoke up and it works.” These words by Lorena Rivas Toribio, a parent leader from Santa Ana, CA, deeply resonates with me. For Black and Brown families, navigating systems designed without our needs in mind can feel like an uphill battle. The Manifesto acknowledges the importance of validating our anger and frustration while providing a safe space to channel those emotions into impactful advocacy.

As a child, I often sensed when things weren’t quite right. Though I couldn’t articulate it at the time, I now recognize these feelings stemmed from negative interactions rooted in racism and a lack of trauma-informed educators. I’m excited for parents to read this version of the Manifesto so they have the tools they need to advocate for themselves and their children. That’s one of the reasons I became an advocate and leader for foster care reform efforts: To ensure children and youth receive the resources they so rightfully deserve, including a supportive parent(s) or caregiver(s).

Being a leader is not about giving the “voiceless” a voice but equipping people with the tools they need to amplify their voices and thrive. I’ve always believed that children are the future, and as impacted as I was by my parent’s trauma, I’ve learned how to manage with the cards life dealt me once I came across mentors who poured into me. These mentors were lifesavers; they filled the gaps of support that my parents couldn’t, wouldn’t, and were never going to fill. Because I was being poured into and my cup was overflowing, I was then able to pour into others while still feeling whole. That’s the healthy cycle of support we encourage at CSSP, not the isolating cycle of generational trauma. In practice, the Manifesto helps facilitate this healthy cycle, where parent leaders support other parents in becoming leaders in their own communities and advocating for the issues they are impacted by and passionate about. 

This Manifesto has given me deeper empathy for my mother, a young Haitian immigrant navigating the challenges of single motherhood in the “concrete jungle” of New York City. It also reaffirms my commitment to advocating for systemic change that ensures families like mine have the resources and support they need to thrive. By sharing this Manifesto and embracing its vision, I hope to contribute to a future where no child or parent is left unsupported.

About the guest author: Ericka Francois came to CSSP as an Ambassador for the Creating Actionable and Real Solutions (CARES) initiative. CARES Ambassadors are “transition-age” youth (TAY) of color who guide CSSP’s child welfare work through their lived experiences with the foster care system. In this piece, she explores the Parent Edition of the Manifesto from the viewpoint of a child welfare advocate. She is currently a Communications Coordinator at CSSP.

The Parent Leader Network (PLN) provides a space for parents to collaborate with and support each other, represent the parent perspective, and advocate for parent voice and leadership in early childhood systems. Harnessing the power of parents and supporting them to share their expertise, wisdom, and knowledge ensures that we keep children, youth, and families at the center of our work. In 2024, PLN leaders created The Parent Edition of the Manifesto for Race Equity and Parent Leadership in Early Childhood Systems. The purpose of this version of the Manifesto is to inspire parents—by which we mean any adult caregiver for a child—to speak up, join others, and advocate for parent voice and equity so that all families thrive.