The Racial Justice and Equity Fund (RJEF), an initiative of ECFC, recently convened grantee partners in Nashville for several days of connection, reflection, and shared learning. Partners came together to deepen relationships, exchange strategies, and strengthen a growing network advancing child and family well-being.
Across conversations, partners shared how they are working alongside families in their communities. In some places, that looks like supporting healthier births and ensuring families can access culturally responsive care. In others, it means helping families meet immediate needs such as food, diapers, or housing support, while also organizing for longer-term solutions like paid leave or tenant protections. Many are doing both at once, meeting urgent needs and creating pathways for lasting change.
While the work spans different issues and geographies, a shared approach connects it. Partners are grounded in their communities, responding to what families are experiencing day to day, and building toward conditions where children and families can thrive.
“When communities lead, solutions take shape that reflect the full realities of families’ lives.”
— Leng Leng Chancey, Director, RJEF
The convening was designed as a space for shared learning and collective visioning. Through workshops on narrative change and strategy sessions, partners explored how their efforts connect across regions and issues. These conversations helped surface common challenges, highlight opportunities for alignment, and strengthen relationships across the network.
The convening culminated in a collaborative “Dream Lab,” where partners reflected on what is needed to move this work forward together. Grounded in lived experience, these conversations pointed toward a shared path that builds on local leadership while strengthening connections across communities.
The impact of partnership continues to open pathways for change, rooted in trust, shared responsibility, and a commitment to building the conditions where children and families can thrive and flourish.