Brain development starts at birth, and most brain development happens before the age of 5. Engaging and supporting families of children in the early years is critical for reducing future obstacles and setting at-promise children up well for their lifelong educational journey.
Our Early Childhood & Family Engagement programs build school readiness in children ages 0 to 5, their families and neighboring schools. We foster catalytic change by working with families and leading community initiatives that improve early childhood systems and access to resources.
We enrich parental skills, starting with prenatal development, and empower parents to be early childhood and educational advocates. We offer home visits, social and health services, prenatal education and support, educational playgroups and activities, and assistance for families with children who have special needs. Our holistic approach eliminates barriers to success and aids parents in becoming their child’s first teachers and leaders in their communities. We partner with elementary schools to involve parents early in the schools their children will attend.
Children thrive and families flourish in strong, safe, healthy, and engaged communities where people develop strong and lasting relationships, support each other, and act together to give children the best start possible. LAEP has a deep history of community engagement in the early childhood space, most recently as the manager of the Northeast Valley (NEV) Best Start Community, which empowers the community to address important issues for local families to support kindergarten readiness.
Universal access to early childhood education is essential to eliminate educational inequity, but there is a severe shortage of early childhood teachers nationwide. Ready2Teach is a one-year, earn-and-learn program designed to increase the number of qualified infant/toddler teachers across Los Angeles County.
LaCora is a seasoned communications professional with a passion for using multimedia
storytelling to empower movements for social justice and equality. For over 13 years, she has
honed her skills as a versatile multimedia director, overseeing media operations across diverse
organizations, including the NAACP Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch and The Shirley Chisholm
Education Foundation. Her deep understanding of the education and equity landscape fuels her
creative vision, allowing her to craft impactful narratives that resonate with audiences.
With strategic communication and collaboration, LaCora excels in developing and executing
compelling multimedia campaigns that not only raise awareness of critical issues but also
inspire action and drive meaningful change. Her proficiency in concept development, production
execution, and team leadership ensures projects are delivered with exceptional quality.
Furthermore, LaCora fosters strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders,
cultivating partnerships that maximize campaign reach and impact.
LaCora's educational foundation began with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Education from
Florida A&M University. She then pursued a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages) from Alliant University of San Diego. This passion for
storytelling, fueled by her background in education, translates to her belief in the power of
shared narratives. Her work in this area was recognized through her selection as a Women in
Film Mentee and film director for Viola Davis’ sponsored film showcase, Diversity in Cannes.
Now, LaCora leverages her love of storytelling and commitment to educational equity in her role
leading marketing and communications for Los Angeles Education Partnership, while also
serving on the board of the Pasadena African American Film Foundation.
Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.
Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.
