Abstract
This narrative unfolds not only as research but as living archives of Black family child care educators’ daily acts of care, resistance, and cultural preservation. Each image and story becomes a window into the layered identities of FCCEs—community mothers, pedagogues, and cultural stewards—whose homes and classrooms are sites of both survival and joy. The photographs capture the textures of their caregiving environments: the toys worn smooth by generations of children, the kitchen tables transformed into learning hubs, the walls adorned with cultural symbols and affirmations. These visual and narrative fragments remind us that FCCEs are not simply providers; they are archivists of memory, builders of capital, and anchors of community. Together, the images and testimonies illuminate how professional identity, diasporic traditions, and educator agency converge to sustain families and resist erasure, offering a collective portrait of resilience and belonging.
Author Biography
Ashley R. Watts
Ashley R. Watts is an educator, researcher, and advocate whose work centers on educational equity, social justice, and community engagement. Her scholarship explores issues related to child care, educational access, and the experiences of historically racialized communities. Through research, writing, and collaborative initiatives, she seeks to advance inclusive policies and practices that support children, families, and educators. Watts is committed to bridging research and practice to promote meaningful change in education and strengthen opportunities for all learners.
Crystasany R. Turner
Crystasany R. Turner, PhD (she/her/ella), is an associate professor of teacher education at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Rooted in Black feminist epistemologies, her scholarship centers Black women educators and the cultural knowledge expressed through their care and education of children of color. Her teaching and research examine early childhood education for social justice, spirit-centered pedagogies, and institutional inequities affecting diverse children and families. Her work appears in Race Ethnicity and Education, the Journal of African American Women and Girls in Education, the Journal of Teacher Education, and the Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Social Justice in Education, among others.
Recommended Citation
Watts, A. R.,
&
Turner, C. R.
(2026).
Carrying memory building capital: Black family child care educators’ community mothering and educational equity.
Occasional Paper Series,
(56), 127-138.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58295/2375-3668.1636
Included in
Black History Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Educational Methods Commons