Media Advisory

For immediate release: February 17, 2023
Contact: Sandra Wellhausen
(619) 507-2077
swellhausen@sdyouthservices.org

Birth of Brilliance Conference Raises Awareness for Racial Disparities in Childhood

Racial Disparities and Implicit Bias Have Far-Reaching Health and Behavioral Consequences 

San Diego, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2023) -The third annual Birth of Brilliance conference, created to tackle and raise awareness for racial disparities in early childhood, will take place on Feb. 23, 2023. The virtual, one-day conference will raise the collective consciousness around the effects of racial disparities and implicit bias in mental health, social services, developmental services, early childhood education and medical care.

Birth of Brilliance will bring together critical voices to facilitate courageous conversations about childhood and discrimination that are long-overdue. The event features Shawn Ginwright PhD, one of the nation’s leading innovators, provocateurs, and thought leaders on African American youth, youth activism, and youth development and Barbara Stroud PhD, a licensed psychologist with over three decades worth of culturally informed clinical practice in early childhood development and mental health.

“Through this conference we are hoping to continue to raise awareness for these very serious issues and encourage equality and fairness,” said Bell Middle School Principal Precious Jackson-Hubbard and co-chair of Birth of Brilliance. “We need to work collectively to ensure our actions reflect our belief that our children are brilliant at birth, and all deserve equal opportunities.”

Racial disparities have long-term consequences for children, and affect overall health, behavior and the opportunity to live a full and productive life. A disproportionate number of children are getting in trouble at school, being separated from their families and suffering long-term health consequences from not receiving adequate care and equal opportunities.

The focus of this year’s event is to create racial equity in early childhood through intentional education, dialogue and collective mobilization so that providers can collectively come together and create long overdue change.

“We need to raise awareness of how racial disparity and implicit bias affects children and their development,” said Steven H. Jellá, PsyD and associate executive director at San Diego Youth Services. “Each and every child deserves the same level of care, services and education, regardless of who they are or where they are born.”

This conference also offers continuing education credit to medical doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors.

Birth of Brilliance is also hosting a Cultural Fair, the day after the conference, on Friday, Feb. 24 to give participants an opportunity to experience different cultures in our local San Diego community through performances, art, music and more. To learn more, visit BirthofBrilliance.org.

“We continue to host this conference virtually to support access to these conversations and the shared learning that comes from them,” said Melanie Morones, early childhood mental health clinical director, YMCA San Diego. “We want this energy to continue to grow and for the content to resonate with everyone, from providers across fields to our mamas proudly watching from home.”

Birth of Brilliance is supported by the County of San Diego, San Diego Youth Services and other generous sponsors. To learn more about Birth of Brilliance, visit BirthofBrilliance.org.

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