An advocacy group in California is pushing for the inclusion and legitimization of Black English in preschool curricula, aiming to enhance literacy skills among young children and address linguistic bias in educational settings. Black Californians United for Early Care & Education (BlackECE) is at the forefront of this movement, seeking to affirm Black English as a valid, rule-governed language with deep roots in Black culture and history.
Ashley Williams, co-founder of BlackECE, expressed a desire for Black children to feel that their voices and perspectives are valued, regardless of the dialect they use. She recalled personal experiences of embarrassment stemming from perceived grammatical errors and slang associated with speaking Black English, highlighting the need for educational environments that are more inclusive.
BlackECE operates with a 10-point policy plan focused on reparations and support for Black children, families, and workers. While California's 2020 plan promoted early dual language learning, the advocacy group argues that Black vernacular has been overlooked and should be explicitly integrated.
"We talk about multilinguals, but we don’t include Black children who may be African-American English speakers," stated Xigrid Soto-Boykin, Director of the Children’s Equity Project. Williams also shared her own challenges with "code-switching" between Standard English and her natural dialect, experiencing insecurity when forced to adopt a linguistic style that felt less authentic.
According to research from 2020 cited by the National Library of Medicine, approximately 20% of American children and 44% of five to seventeen-year-olds in California are considered bilingual. However, data indicates that 89% of African-Americans speak only English at home, underscoring the linguistic landscape the activists aim to address.
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