This Talk reframes early childhood education as a movement, not a moment: one that asks us to measure our community’s health by the well-being of its children. It explores the powerful ripple effects of high-quality preschool on equity, the economy, and long-term success, making the case that investing in our youngest learners is a moral, practical, and communal imperative. Chara Fisher Jackson is an integral part of the Cincinnati community. Since she moved to Cincinnati from Atlanta, she has served as executive director and interim President & CEO of a mid-size nonprofit to her current role as Executive Director & CEO of Cincinnati Preschool Promise, managing multimillion-dollar budgets in each organization. Her legal skills, strategic thinking, advocacy, and advances in civil rights and equity are a reflection of her deeply personal mission to improve her community and innovate early childhood education. Over 240 Providers and 12,000 children have benefitted from the work of Cincinnati Preschool Promise under her tutelage with the support of ten skilled professional staff members. Chara fully understands the pitfalls facing undereducated youth. From her work in Atlanta, she has vast experience as a lobbyist and litigator of complex civil rights issues. She has led advocacy campaigns and litigation on voting rights, the school to prison pipeline, and religious freedom issues. She embraces the vision of the Cincinnati Preschool Promise and knows the importance of engaging children early in their educational journey to prepare them to successfully navigate issues which may confront them later in life. Since 2019, she has led Cincinnati Preschool Promise's mission: "to ensure equitable access to high-quality preschool so that every Cincinnati child is prepared for kindergarten.” Chara's goal is to make sure every child has a chance to thrive by supporting the early childhood education ecosystem. Her interests and influence take her beyond traditional boundaries, empowering her to influence and encourage broader involvement in supporting the youngest learners in Cincinnati, a role she takes on with great enthusiasm and determination. She currently serves on the board of 5 community-based non-profit organizations and is an active member of SGI-USA, a global community-based network that practices the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism. In 2024, she was recognized by the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati as a Career Woman of Achievement. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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