COMMUNITY-ROOTED
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ACTION-ORIENTED
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HEALING-CENTERED
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BLACK-AFFIRMING
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COMMUNITY-ROOTED • ACTION-ORIENTED • HEALING-CENTERED • BLACK-AFFIRMING •
Build the future Black children deserve.Raise Thriving Black Children. Build Community. Create Change.
Join a free, six-month leadership journey for parents, caregivers, early childhood educators and community raising Black kids age 5 and younger, to learn, connect, organize, and lead together.
Black children deserve to grow up surrounded by love, joy, safety, and communities that believe in their brilliance.
Yet many Black families and the professionals who care for Black children are navigating systems that create stress instead of support.
The Parents & Practitioners for Liberated Learning Lab brings us together to build stronger families, stronger communities, and brighter futures for Black children.
The PPL Learning Lab is a six-month, community-rooted experience focused on Black children in the Long Beach area from prenatal to age five. Together, we will collaborate to build stronger families and brighter futures.
• Up to 30 participants • Build long-lasting relationships • Learn how to make a difference in your community • Long Beach, CA
The PPL Learning Lab is a six-month Black-affirming leadership and healing-centered learning space where parents, caregivers, and early childhood practitioners build tools for liberated parenting, trauma-informed care, community organizing, and advocacy for Black children from prenatal to age five.
who’s this for?Who Should Apply
This group is built for anyone holding a young Black child's world in their hands… at home, in the classroom, or in the community. If you're helping raise, teach, support, or care for a Black child ages 0–5, this space was created for you. Expecting parents are invited to participate, too!
Why Parents and Practitioners Together?
Children thrive when the adults in their lives work together. By bringing parents, caregivers, educators, and practitioners into the same learning community, we're building stronger relationships, deeper understanding, and a shared commitment to helping Black children flourish.
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Raising a baby, toddler, or young child? Are you expecting? This space is for you, parents and caregivers of Black children prenatal to age five.
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Grandparents, kinship caregivers, and older adults who help raise little ones are invited, too.
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Early childhood educators, childcare providers, preschool staff, family childcare employees, and child development educators and students are an important part of this experience.
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Community educators, wellness providers, healers, doulas, youth service providers, family advocates, social workers, and community leaders committed to Black family wellbeing and building power for Black families are encouraged to attend.
What participants will experience
what we'll build togetherEvery month you'll gather with other Black parents and practitioners for shared meals, meaningful conversations, leadership workshops, healing activities, guest speakers, and hands-on opportunities to strengthen your family and community.
Engage
Participate in interactive workshops and honest community dialogue.
Learn
Learn organizing and advocacy skills tied to housing, early education, and culturally affirming services.
Be Guided
Each participant will receive a copy of Parenting for Liberation: A Guide for Raising Black Children by Trina Greene Brown as a creative guide.
Advocate
Learn how to advocate for the policies and systems Black children deserve.
Discover
Discover practical ideas you can immediately use with children and families.
Collaborate
Work with fellow participants to your ideas into a real project that benefits Black children and families.
Gain Tools
Build trauma-informed and healing-centered parenting and caregiving tools.
Build
Build lasting relationships with other parents, caregivers, and practitioners.
You'll leave this program with:
• Stronger confidence as a parent or practitioner
• Practical trauma-informed tools
• Deeper connections with other Black families
• Leadership and organizing skills
• A network of people who have your back
• Greater understanding of child development
• Confidence speaking up for Black children
Our “Why” for Creating the PPL Learning Lab
Black children deserve to grow up surrounded by love, safety, cultural affirmation, and opportunity. Black parents and practitioners already carry deep wisdom. The PPL Learning Lab creates room to honor it.
✔ Center Black wellness, liberation, and collective care.
✔ Uplift Black parents, workers, educators, and organizers as essential voices shaping the systems that affect children and families.
✔ Connect mental wellness, housing, and economic security with parenting.
✔ Together we can create a growing community of parents and practitioners who will change the conditions that shape our Black children's lives by advocating for equitable housing, early care, and culturally affirming services.
"I created this program because it's the community I wish I'd had when I first became a mom. Raising Black children shouldn't be something we do alone. Every parent deserves a space to learn, heal, build community, and develop the confidence and tools to help their children thrive. My hope is that every participant leaves knowing they're part of something bigger, a community committed to creating the future our children deserve."
— Melissa Morgan
Applications are open now.
Space is limited to 30 participants. We want you there and will provide participation support, good food, and childcare.
Questions? Contact Melissa at melissa@bwellcollab.org or text/call 515-999-6356.
Apply to the PPL Learning Lab
let's get you enrolledApplications take about 10 minutes. Space is limited to 30 participants for this cohort, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so it helps to apply early.
We Remove Barriers to Participation
✔ Free to participate
✔ Meals provided
✔ Childcare provided
✔ Accessibility accommodations
✔ Community care
✔ Books and learning materials included
✔ Transportation support available
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You'll get an email confirmation that we received your application.
We'll follow up by phone within a week to answer your questions and share updates.
Accepted / waitlisted invitations go out by Friday, August 14, 2026.
Accepted participants get the full schedule, location, and support details right away by email and/or text.
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Refreshments will be provided and participation support can be provided based on individual need. Childcare support will be provided as well. Let us know what you need in the form, we are thinking with a village mindset and want to find ways to support community participation.
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The PPL Learning Lab is made up of a unique mix of people. We are looking for parents of Black children, guardians, caregivers, grandparents and kinship caregivers, or early childhood practitioners, health/wellness providers who serve families, and other community stakeholders connected to children prenatal to age five.
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Know someone perfect for this? If you know a parent, caregiver, or practitioner connected to a young Black child under the age of 5, who'd thrive in this space, tell us a little about them and we'll reach out with a warm invitation and we will reach out.
Share their name and best way to reach them.
We'll follow up personally, and mention that you referred them if that's welcome.
They're never signed up automatically, this just starts a warm outreach.
Send the info via email, text or call Melissa at melissa@bwellcollab.org or call/text 515-999-6356.
Or, click here and let us know how you’d like to partner with us.
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Contact Melissa Morgan at melissa@bwellcollab.org or call/text 515-999-6356.
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Parents & Practitioners
for Liberated Learning Lab
A program created by BLM Grassroots Long Beach with the B-Well Collab, in partnership with community organizations across Long Beach thanks to funding support from First Five Los Angeles and Best Start Central Long Beach.
Healing-centered. Black-affirming. Community-rooted. Action-oriented.
CONTACT
melissa@bwellcollab.org
Call/Text 515-999-6356
© 2026 VERB Community, in partnership with BLM Grassroots Long Beach