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!