The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
– Nelson Mandela

Kisa Marx, author, anti-racist curriculum developer, and founder of The Play Lab Foundation, has written a beautiful message to early care and education professionals, that can be found on the Exchange Press Hub.

Here’s an excerpt from her heartfelt letter:

“The field of early education must prioritize supporting teachers and others who work with and for young children to meet their own needs while also fulfilling their professional and personal callings to meet the needs of children. Although I felt this especially in the midst of the pandemic, it remains true today and feels appropriate to reiterate at this time: Educator, provider, caregiver well-being ought to be a top priority as we continue to imagine ways forward in this field that is, arguably, one of the most essential pieces of the economic and social infrastructure of our country.

“As I look out at the landscape of the field today, it seems as if we are poised to move into a new era of early childhood within the United States. A pandemic and administrative shifts  have seemingly positioned us at the cusp of something unknown. I stand here, alongside all of you, with little else but my resolve and my convictions. I neither anticipate still waters, nor fear turbulent seas. We have seen and endured both, and will do so again and again. Let us commit to reassessing our priorities always, reimagining care to include care for ourselves, and to rebuilding the structures of our field in ways that allow care to persist at its heart.”