Miller Early Childhood Initiative Takes Off in Southwest Region

Date: September 22, 2009

ADL's Miller Early Childhood Initiative of the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute has begun in the Southwest Region with numerous trainings and tentative plans for more.  The Initiative provides anti-bias workshops and materials designed to train early childhood educators, caregivers and family members to help children understand, appreciate, and respect differences.  

Studies have shown children begin to distinguish different skin colors, hair textures and facial features as early as six months of age. Their brains grow fastest between the ages of 2 and 5, and this is when they develop impressions that last. 

ADL benefactor Harvey L. Miller and others underwrote the Miller Early Childhood Initiative to help ADL provide tools to give pre-school children the best opportunities to grow up respecting and valuing differences rather than fearing them.  Other sponsors of the Initiative in ADL's Southwest Region include Kathy and Drew Berkman, Sharon and Michael Coplon, Linda and Michael Eisemann, Karen and Jay Harberg,  Bridgeway Capital Management, the Merfish-Jacobson Foundation, the Nathan J. Klein Fund,  the Simmons Foundation, Janet and Jeff Pozmantier and Shirley and Marvin Rich.

Miller Early Childhood Assistant Project Director Pam Autio has been busy scheduling trainings for various groups and gatherings.  The trainings include a 7-hour session at the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children Conference in Galveston, Texas, and workshops at Houston's Children’s Museum, Neighborhood Centers, and with the staff of Head Start. 
  
 For more information, call ADL's Southwest Regional Office at 713-627-3490.