The following is a written testimony by The Women’s Foundation’s ECE (Early Care and Education) Program Officer, Abriana Kimbrough, provided at the 5/3/2024 Budget Hearing requesting that the Pay Equity Fund be fully restored.
Members of the committee, I express my gratitude for the opportunity to present my testimony.
My name is Abriana Kimbrough, and I serve as the Early Care and Education Program Officer at
Washington Area Women’s Foundation. I am also a proud member of the Under 3 DC Coalition
(U3DC), a collective dedicated to enhancing early childhood education in our region.
At Washington Area Women’s Foundation, our mission is clear: to invest in the power of women
and girls of color in the Washington metropolitan area. We firmly believe that by amplifying
resources and recognizing the leadership of these women and girls, we can ignite essential
change throughout the District.
Since 2008, Washington Area Women’s Foundation has invested over $4 million to early
childhood education advocates. These dedicated individuals and organizations have made
remarkable strides in improving outcomes for our youngest learners and have been at the
forefront of advocating for the Pay Equity Fund.
However, philanthropy alone cannot bear the responsibility of investing in early childhood
education. We need the support of our government. We stand united with fellow advocates and
leaders, including Kim Perry and her team at DC Action, Cynthia Davis, an advocate and the
owner of an early education center, and LaDon Love of theMulticultural Spanish-Speaking
Providers Association, among others.
It is imperative that the Council fully restore all funding to the Pay Equity Fund. Our early
childhood education system is at a critical juncture, and without this funding, we risk losing the
progress we have fought so hard to achieve. The Women’s Foundation urges you to take
decisive action to restore this funding and secure the future of early childhood education in the
District.
To learn more about how you can get involved to protect D.C.’s early educators, visit under3dc.org.