Above: FNC members sharing a meal together in Detroit
Colleen Andrews recalls the flight from her home in Alaska to the first in-person Nurture Connection parent leadership convening in Detroit as “a whirlwind of a trip.” Andrews is one of the newest members of the Nurture Connection Family Collaborative Network (FNC) Parent Leader team, and she was thrilled to meet colleagues she had talked with online but had never seen in person at the two-day gathering. “The ambience was amazing,” she says, “and as a new person, it was good to hear the questions that the more seasoned members had.” She was pleased to find that some even shared the same questions that she had, “and I’m just coming to the table.”
The Nurture Connection FNC is intentionally designed with building relationships at its core, and the in-person gathering was an opportunity for group reflection, connection, and sharing. It also marked the first opportunity for the FNC Parent Leader team to come together in person — including members who had been there since the beginning, as well as the two new members who recently joined the group.
“We were able to connect at a deep and very personal level — and reflect on where we are and where we’re going.”
—Claudia Aristy, Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative Parent Leader; New York
Centering Family Voices at the Table
Nurture Connection has long centered parent partnership as a key equity strategy through the Family Collaborative Network. The FNC’s approach is novel: seven parent leaders who connect with families from underrepresented communities to elevate the voices and wisdom of parents and caregivers in the promotion of Early Relational Health (ERH).
The seven parent leaders work with a thriving community of 70 families that includes parents and caregivers from the rural South as well as immigrant, Black, Native American, and the disabled and special needs communities, building relationships based on trust and shared values.
Besides interviewing each of the 10 families they work with monthly, the parent leaders meet biweekly online to share the voices of their families to help guide all the aspects of Nurture Connection’s work.
The group is facilitated by Bryn Fortune, Nurture Connection Ambassador for Parent Partnership, and includes:
- Colleen Andrews, representing children with special healthcare needs; Alaska
- Claudia Aristy, representing Spanish-speaking immigrant families; New York
- Randall Baylor, representing Black and Brown fathers; Washington, District of Columbia
- Mia Halthorn, representing Black, Brown, and African American families; Michigan
- Nicole Loveless, representing the Native American community; New Mexico
- Tish MacInnis, representing Southern families; Alabama
- Steven Thibert, representing the fatherhood experience; Washington State
Rooted in Connection
The power of storytelling and relationships was central to the gathering, where FNC members had the opportunity to practice sharing their individual journeys into parent leadership and create illustrations of their “tree of life.” Many found this exercise very personal, intense, and moving — and a way to better connect with themselves and each other. They were also able to use their stories to explore how their leadership work can look different in each other’s communities and reflect on the challenges — and successes — of parent outreach and partnering with families to advance ERH.
“I’m a big fan of culture, and just seeing it [the FNC structure] in action and the blend of so many different cultures through the communities we represent was really enriching.”
—Randall Baylor, Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative Parent Leader; Washington, District of Columbia
The storytelling and discussion about working with families in their communities was intense but rewarding, Andrews adds. “I think it pushed some of us out of our comfort zones, which is needed sometimes.”
Above: FNC parent leaders practiced sharing the roots of their individual journeys into parent leadership as part of a “tree of life” storytelling exercise.
“My tree goes way up; it is long and tall . . . and all of my buds, leaves, and limbs are to hopefully be able to look into the future . . .
Some of the things that I have on my leaves and my buds are great accomplishments, including my grandchildren as well as my parent leadership network within the state; being able to work with all my parents; and creating a curriculum to be able to help my parents in their journey of learning about strengthening families.
In my life, I hope that this tree never dies, that it just continues to grow and grow and grow throughout time. And that everybody will understand and remember the importance of where they came from.”
—Tish MacInnis, Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative Parent Leader; Alabama
The gathering also reinforced the group’s belief that there is no substitute for the magic of meeting in person.
“Coming together is vital for us to connect,” says parent leader Nicole Loveless, who represents her Native American community in New Mexico. Parent leader and fatherhood expert Steve Thibert agrees. Even though his trip was delayed, he was grateful to be there for as long as he could. “The storytelling was really fun and impactful,” he says. “And you can always get so much more done in person. The connection is hard to beat.”
The group missed the presence of parent leader Mia Halthorn, who was ill and unable to attend. “Every member’s voice is important,” reflects Bryn Fortune, Nurture Connection Ambassador for Parent Partnership. “This gave us firsthand experience of what it means and what a hole it creates when one of your voices and communities can’t be a part of our conversations.”
“Coming together is vital for us to connect.”
—Nicole Loveless, Nurture Connection Family Network Collaborative Parent Leader; New Mexico
Looking Ahead
Fortune, who led the in-person meeting, is looking forward to a follow-up group discussion in July and to more relational practices that can help create shared spaces for healing, reflection, and growth. The in-person gathering “gave all of us this opportunity to notice the importance of building community voice and how that can accelerate our work in ERH.”
The FNC will continue to return to the themes that emerged from the retreat to continue to deepen their vision and focus for their future work. Nurture Connection looks forward to the group’s ongoing transformation as parents and parent leaders incorporate the principles of Early Relational Health in their daily lives and relationships into their communities.
