Can Minnesota close gaps and lead in early childhood development?

A woman holds hands and dances with a baby.
Courtney Armborst dances with 1-year-old Loyalle during a Black Lives Matter protest for Jacob Blake on Aug. 24 in Minneapolis.
Evan Frost | MPR News

Parenting is a difficult job. Add a pandemic and racial inequity, and it can be even more daunting.

Four people talk on Zoom
MPR News host Angela Davis, top left, talks with Dianne Haulcy, Dr. Krishnan Subramanian and Wilbert Bettie during the Little Moments Count conference Dec. 1.
MPR News

As part of the annual conference for Little Moments Count — an initiative focused on early childhood development — MPR News host Angela Davis recently moderated a discussion about how racial disparities and COVID-19 are affecting families with young children and what Minnesota can do to close the gaps.

Guests:

  • Sondra Samuels is the president and CEO of the Northside Achievement Zone.

  • Dianne Haulcy is the senior vice president of family engagement at Think Small, a Minnesota early childhood education advocacy organization.

  • Dr. Krishnan Subramanian is a pediatrician with Hennepin Health and a pediatric consultant at Redleaf Center for Family Healing.

  • Wilbert Bettie is a father of nine children who has participated in Northside Achievement Zone programming.

Use the audio player above to listen to the program.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

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