Season 4 Episode 2: 'Fostering Equity in Childcare' with Nikki Graf

Parenting Pickup

Parenting Pickup
Season 4 Episode 2: 'Fostering Equity in Childcare' with Nikki Graf
Mar 16, 2026 Season 4 Episode 2
New Horizon Academy | Cara Johnson-Bader

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On this episode of The Parenting Pickup Podcast, Nicolette Graf, the director of equity & inclusion at Child Care Aware of Minnesota, joins us to discuss how we can identify and pursue more equitable solutions for early childhood caretaking, both for parents and educators. 

During this episode we discuss:
- How Nikki started her advocacy and career in equity work
- The fundamentals of pursuing cultural experiences for children and building empathy, using the metaphors of mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors
- Easy ways to incorporate mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors
- How to advocate for equity in your school and community
- How to be okay without obvious answers or solutions for children when they're encountering new cultures

For more information on Childcare Aware of MN, please visit: 
https://www.childcareawaremn.org/

Below are some resources Nikki recommends for parents and teachers to continue their learning journey about equity in and out of the classroom:

Paddington Station's DEI Family Toolkit https://www.paddingtonstation.org/dei-family-toolkit.html

CDA Council 'How to Talk to Kids Under 5 About Racial Equity'
https://www.cdacouncil.org/en/how-to-talk-to-kids-under-5-about-racial-equity/

Early Risers Podcast, featuring Dianne Haulcy and Andre Dukes
https://www.littlemomentscount.org/earlyriserspodcast

Contact New Horizon Academy 

Thanks for listening!

Episode Artwork Season 4 Episode 2: 'Fostering Equity in Childcare' with Nikki Graf 27:53 Episode Artwork Season 4 Episode 1: 'Beyond First Words: Early Childhood Communication' with Lindsay Morgan 25:50 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 8: 'Your (Not So) Social Child: Navigating Early Childhood Friendships' with Amanda Woodward 25:06 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 7: 'Picture Book Author Round Table' 51:27 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 6: 'The Benefits of Bibliotherapy' with Amanda Mason 20:03 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 5: 'Having Tough Conversations' with MiaLisa Millares 40:37 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 4: 'Keeping up with Children's Health' with Kelly Lemieux 27:13 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 3: 'The Science of Reading' with Sara Reichstadt 21:44 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 2: 'Quality Screen Time' with Momo Hayakawa 25:32 Episode Artwork Season 3 Episode 1: 'Raising Inclusive Children' with Dianne Haulcy 28:02 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 8: Benefits of Music 38:30 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 7: Pediatric Oral Health 25:27 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 6: How to Help Children with Grief 46:52 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 5: Potty Mastery 20:36 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 4: The Bilingual Advantage 43:42 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 3: Importance of Play 26:00 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 2: Listening 37:18 Episode Artwork Season 2 Episode 1: Hitting 26:15 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 9: Early Childhood Milestones 35:23 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 8: Building Cultural Awareness 19:45 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 7: Kindergarten Readiness 28:25 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 6: Biting 26:22 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 5: Picky Eaters 19:10 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 4: Raising Caring Children 30:25 Episode Artwork Season 1 Episode 3: Conscious Discipline 20:15