On Monday, September 9, Joanne Hiromura, Senior Landscape Architect; Gretchen Craig, Designer; Kylie Durekas, Landscape Designer; and Sebastian Baliva, Designer hosted an all-day pre-conference training session at the 2024 National Tribal Child Care Conference in Portland, Oregon. The National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA) national conference is a source of training, resources, information, and networking opportunities for Tribal leaders, Tribal administrators, program directors/managers, center directors, teachers, providers, and other early childhood professionals who work with native children and families. 

The pre-conference training session, “Designing for the Future: Culturally Resonant Early Education” was an engaging workshop that bridged early education goals with tribal priorities. Participants explored innovative approaches to designing early education environments that resonate culturally. We also introduced best practices for designing indoor and outdoor early care and education spaces that honor cultural traditions and values. Our expert team guided attendees through the process of aligning play environments with tribal values and traditions, ensuring that every aspect of the design reflects the community's unique identity and priorities. The workshop included an interactive, hands-on component where participants actively engaged in the design process. The session was specifically tailored for tribal administrators, educators, community leaders, and stakeholders. During the session, our team highlighted experiences learned from our work with the St. Regis Mohawk and Chickahominy Tribes.

The conference continues Tuesday, September 10-Thursday, September 12. In addition to having a table for networking with conference attendees during the conference, our team will have a 30-minute speaking slot on Wednesday, September 11 on “Designing the Future: Cultivating Innovation in Tribal Child Care Spaces.”

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and engaged during the discussions. Your enthusiasm and insights are what make these events so impactful!