Learn more about the projects NOLA C.A.R.E.S. PAResearchers have undertaken below.
Wanda Filmore
Wealth Building
Wanda turned to her community and found folks she saw as successful with saving money. Through her research, she discovered different methods that worked. For example, setting aside money from your paycheck or United Way’s IDA program, which matches 4:1 on savings for low income individuals. Fillmore also stressed the savings impact of cooking at home versus eating out, while also pointing out how people working two jobs don’t have the luxury to cook for themselves all the time.
When it comes to policy, Filmore wants lawmakers to find a better balance with SNAP.
“The people that work, they don’t get anything because they make too much money. If they had another method, another system where it wouldn’t be cut off,” she said.
In Filmore’s research she found that those with the time to make meals were able to save more money. She doesn’t feel people working all the time should have to pay more for it.
Melonie Pichon
Type 3 Childcare Centers
Ms. Pichon’s research focuses on opening childcare centers that receive public funding, or type three centers. Her research found the amount of resources available to be hidden in plain sight. She said, “PAR connected me with other organizations that could catapult me. Now I'm mentoring other potential childcare providers.” Pichon said Dr. Sonnier from the Policy Institute for Children helped her to interpret legislation.
“I can understand and interpret military regulations. The childcare regulations was just out of the water for me,” she said.
Melonie started a childcare center after 32 years in the Army. The center, named Giggles, is named after a soldier she knew while serving her last tour in Iraq. “I let one of my soldiers go home to visit his wife to see the birth of his first son,” Pichon said. “When he returned back to the combat zone, three weeks later, his truck got blown up.” This soldier, Sergeant Ulloa, Pichon said, was always giggling.
Melonie decided to do her research on opening Type 3 childcare centers because she believes it's a fundamental right to quality childcare. Through the net of her friends, and their friends, and so on, Pichon found four potential people who want to open a type 3 center.
“It was getting out there, meeting the people, looking at the potential facility, seeing what needs to be done, connecting them with who they needed to connect with, to be able to open their facility successfully,” Pichon said.
Latanya Rogers
How Can We Bring More Awareness to Early Childhood Literacy?
As a Pre-K teacher herself, Latanya Rogers knows the importance of early childhood literacy. She found from her research that reading daily to your children can make them 3-4 times less likely to leave school before 12th grade.
Through Rogers research and working experience, she saw how crucial parents’ involvement is with early childhood literacy. Many parents, she found, see literacy as simply being able to recite A, B, C’s, not comprehension, as well. Because many parents are just trying to survive, Rogers found many are not as literate as they should be either. For example, Rogers remembers looking at sign-out sheets in her childcare center and seeing some family members write “aint” instead of “aunt.”
Rogers said, “We need to get parents to where they’re not as stressed. Where they can spend more time with their children.” Rogers advocates for teaching parents how to incorporate literacy into a busy life, like pointing out billboards driving down the street.
One idea that came out of Rogers’ PAR research is opening up an early childhood center that focuses on literacy for the community, not just children. It would have computers for parents to use, literacy nights like high schools host, and a small library.
PAR research has also empowered Latyana to go back to school to get her associate’s degree, and ultimately her bachelors focusing in early childhood education.
Kisha McLeod
Mental Health for Childcare Providers
Kisha McLeoud’s research genesis came from a personal place. “I’ve always been shy and bashful. But I have to just get out of that shell. Reward yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. All of these things used to be me,” she said.
McLeoud’s research showed that many childcare providers can struggle to find time for their mental health. In turn, caregivers who experience high levels of stress are less likely to offer positive support for children. McLeod has seen firsthand how needed mental health care is for childcare staff. “Some of them may walk away in tears. It’s like you have to become a counselor, a nurturer, just somebody to love on them sometimes.”
McLeoud was looking for a therapist to do sessions for childcare providers and parents. The first doctor she found wasn’t the right match. But with Dr. Odim’s support and pushing herself, McLeoud eventually did. The therapist McLeoud met “was phenomenal.” And who she found from a session she, Dr. Ashley Ojo did at her church.
Yolanda Dozier
Hospice Care
Yolanda, who’s been a nurse for 25 years, conducted her research on more respectable hospice care. From interviews and her personal experiences, Dozier found that people often forget about those in hospice care and they aren’t treated with the compassion they deserve. One nurse told her sometimes care providers are more motivated by money than empathy.
If Dozier could talk to policy makers about Hospice Care in Louisiana, she would advocate for more state-funding and more state-opened care centers. Dozier said, “A lot of the houses, the doctors open. So it’s really all the doctors making the money. If the state opens it up, it’ll be better because more people will be in it.”
Felicia Dickerson
Early Intervention for Learning Disabilities
A learning disability specialist herself, Felicia added to her repertoire her recent research which included interviews with childcare center directors, educators, psychologists, and parents. Her research found lots of resources are available for young children with learning difficulties. The issue is many people simply don’t know about them. Dickerson chose this project to spread awareness to parents and community guardians about the resources available.
Dickerson also learned from her interviews that, ““every child is different. Every child learns different. And they can learn if they're given the opportunity.”
Dickerson was proud of how this research inspired her to step into deeper waters. She plans on joining an advocacy group she recently learned of, the Yellow Jackets, that does work for children with learning disabilities.
When it comes to advocacy, Dickerson wants lawmakers to know more services need to be implemented for students with exemptions. For example, there needs to be more assistive and adaptive technology, like PE equipment for children in wheelchairs or other physical disabilities.
Cathey Coleman
Early Childhood Literacy for Children with Learning Disabilities
Cathey Coleman's research focused on the challenges parents and teachers have helping children with learning difficulties learn to read. Over the past few months, she's been interviewing co-teachers, community members, and attending educational research meetings.
Coleman said one of the biggest challenges is helping parents out of denial that their child needs extra support. It's crucial to have early screenings to help identify what children would benefit from an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan).
Coleman said, "It's about holding the conversation daily. Having awareness that this isn't something to be ashamed of. Who is to say what's abnormal?"
Coleman emphasized that literacy matters before 3rd grade, the year Louisiana starts testing children on reading comprehension. When it comes to policy, Coleman wants there to be attention to those early childhood years. As well, attention not only on child care, but community care; the type of community care that helps inform parents, too.
Tracy Hemphill
Mental Health/Celebration Curator
Tracy's research looked at mental health in the workplace, specifically how stress and mental illness play out with each other. She found that in stressful environments, it's crucial to focus on yourself and your mental health needs.
She learned a lot about herself during this research, and the importance to take a break if you need it.
Peggy Patterson
Children with Developmental Delays
For Peggy Patterson, her motivation was simple. "How could I support if I didn't do the research?
Patterson's research focused on interviewing teachers, parents, and specialists on how best to support children with developmental delays. Two things stood out to her the most from her research: the necessity of being patient with parents and meeting children where they're at.
For Patterson's own students with developmental delays, she's seen first hand how game changing it is to reach children where they're at. Patterson noticed one girl would relax when playing with play-doh. Another boy lit up when he was outside. Spending one-on-one time with these students doing the things that make them comfortable dramatically transformed how they interacted with other children and teachers.
Duana Davis
How to Save Money
Lots of people can speak on the importance of saving money. But from Duana Davis' research, she found a much more explicit reason why: recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
One of her sources spoke on how much could have gone differently if they had saved. Davis found from those that successfully saved, it wasn't as much about a specific percentage put away, but the length of saving in general. The more time and more habitually someone saved, the better.
Part of Duana Davis' motivation for this research came after attending a women's conference. She heard from an entrepreneur share how her business started bringing in $10K a month. Yet, she still stuck to her $2,000 a month budget, saving the rest.
When it comes to Early Childcare Centers, Davis said even the best facilities need a healthy savings. A healthy savings means more activities for children and a rainy day fund for emergencies.
Lisa Williams
How to Start an In-Home Childcare Center
For Lisa Williams, she saw women babysitting at home when they could be starting an in-home childcare business. The lack of information around how to apply for state resources was a missed opportunity to build wealth and security for these women.
During her research, Williams saw how overwhelming the application process to start an in-home childcare business was. So she went to work making a step-by-step powerpoint and workshop. This presentation didn't just break down the steps, it also connected applicants with resources and listed contact information to "connect the unconnected."
With flyers and promotional materials sharing the support Williams now offers after her PAR research, she hopes to help more women start in-home childcare businesses.
Nanette Nelson
Food Insecurity
It was from starting and running her nonprofit after-school and summer care, The Loft, that Nanette's research idea first came into being.
"Initially, I wanted to ensure kids weren't hungry when they weren't in school. And then it spiraled into why kids are hungry and what happens to those families that have lack of access to food programs," Nelson said.
Through interviewing scores of families, Nelson found three to highlight. She found that even families on SNAP struggled to feed their families. For some, it was necessary to sell food stamps to help pay rent or bills. For others, not having reliable transportation added to lack of access for food programs.
Photos and text by Ali De Fazio for Ampersand LLC. Special thanks to the Participatory Action Researchers and to Dr. Nnenna Odim at Beloved Community