Members of the parenting education and family support community are witnessing significant distress and human suffering across our nation. As an organization committed to equity, justice, and the well-being of all families, Just Families cannot ignore the impact of these events on children, caregivers, and the communities that nurture them. Our need to name injustice is rooted in developmental science and our belief that every child and family deserves safety, stability, and dignity.
Many families, especially those living in communities currently experiencing immigration enforcement activity and other forms of systemic community violence, are navigating profound fear and uncertainty. Safety is a foundational need shared by all humans and is a core condition for healthy child and adult development. People experience stress when they do not feel safe leaving their homes, accessing basic resources, or engaging in daily routines. This stress negatively affects children’s emotional security, caregivers’ well-being, and the family’s overall functioning. To all families experiencing fear, disruption, or instability: WE STAND WITH YOU.
Many kind and brave people are offering care, connection, and support to individuals and families. Teachers and childcare providers continue to show up daily for children who may be confused, scared, and traumatized. Faith leaders, neighbors, and community organizers are leveraging their networks to deliver food, information, and emotional support to families. Emergency responders and healthcare workers continue to protect and preserve life and promote well-being. Across our communities, we are seeing the best of humanity. Neighbors’ efforts reflect the dignity, belonging, and community care that are central to Just Family’s mission. WE STAND WITH YOU.
We also recognize that some families face these challenges without a strong support network. Isolation intensifies stress and places caregivers in situations where they must take significant risks to meet basic needs. No family should have to persevere through such adversity alone. WE STAND WITH YOU.
Parenting educators and family service providers are also profoundly affected. We are family scientists, parenting educators, parenting coaches, and family life educators. Many serve in communities experiencing trauma, and some are personally living through these events. Nonetheless, we hold space and provide care and support to parents and families who are coping with fear, loss, and uncertainty. We recognize that bearing witness to this pain can cause secondary trauma for providers, even as we offer guidance, compassion, and stability. WE STAND WITH YOU.
Finally, there are the rest of us. We are not powerless. The images and stories circulating can feel overwhelming, but acknowledging suffering is a step towards collective responsibility and care. WE STAND WITH FAMILIES EVERYWHERE.