Vision

At PLAN’s kick-off Parent Leadership Action Forum in September 2004, 70 parent leaders and organizers envisioned a future in which a visible, powerful base of low-income parents take effective action to transform key issues affecting the quality of life for Bay Area children and families. Writing down their dreams for the future on autumn-hued paper fruits, participants shared them with the group, and then taped their contribution to a paper tree representing a parent movement. Below are samples of this collective vision:

• “Parents are more actively involved in organizing around issues that impact their communities, such as education, child care, and health care, and these things have become more equitable, accessible, and affordable as a result of parent leadership.”
  
  
• “School administrators view parents as a source of strength are parents are at the table negotiating with school districts.”
  
  
• “Parents feel welcomed at their children’s schools and know how they can be involved.”
  
  
• “All children in California have access to a preschool education that is inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and supportive of families.”
  
  
• “All children have equal opportunities in education, extracurricular activities, and healthy lives.”
  
  
• “Quality, culturally inclusive child care is available for all children and meets the needs and desires of parents.”
  
  
• “Youth and teens benefit from the highest quality after-school programs available.”
  
  
• “Neighborhoods and schools are safe.”