A coalition of racial justice organizations in California is advocating for the inclusion of "Black English" in the state's multilingual education programs for young children. The group, Black Californians United for Early Care and Education (BlackECE), seeks to have African American Vernacular English (AAVE) recognized and supported within California's initiatives for dual language learners.
BlackECE, a partnership that includes organizations such as Californians Together, Catalyst California, and Early Edge, asserts that Black English is a legitimate, rule-governed language with deep roots in Black history, culture, and community. They aim to challenge existing language hierarchies that they believe marginalize Black children.
Ashley Williams, a co-founder of BlackECE, shared her personal experience of being teased for her speech patterns and expressed a desire for Black children to avoid similar feelings of shame. "I don’t want my son to walk into any room and feel like his voice is not valued or his perspective can’t be heard because he’s not saying it in one way or the other," Williams told PBS, highlighting the emotional impact of language correction during early development.
African American Vernacular English, often referred to as "Black English," is described by ScienceDirect as a systematic dialect spoken by many African Americans, characterized by specific phonological, syntactical, and lexical features. Examples include "She be working" and "bes' friend." BlackECE emphasizes that this dialect is not to be mistaken for slang or improper English.
Xigrid Soto-Boykin, an early childhood language expert at Arizona State University, noted that current multilingual education efforts often overlook African American English speakers. "We talk about multilinguals, but we don’t include Black children who may be African-American English speakers," Soto-Boykin told PBS. "We completely miss this subgroup of children that could also benefit from their language backgrounds to be sustained, but also to be leveraged for their own learning."
California, a state with a significant population of children under five who speak a language other than English at home, implemented the "Promoting Equitable Early Learning and Care For Dual Language Learners" program in 2020. This program established biliteracy as a state goal and promotes multilingualism, reflecting a shift away from an English-only approach toward valuing bilingualism.
BlackECE's policy framework also includes a call for reparations. The group argues that by including Black English in the state's dual language learner programs, Black children will gain access to resources, support, and teacher training, similar to other multilingual learners. Williams stated that the effort is fundamentally about affirming identity, culture, and humanity, allowing individuals to be accepted without feeling the need to perform as someone they are not.