Share Your Story
Connecting Our Programs: A Living Resource of Tribal Stories and Strategies
Connecting Our Programs is a national storytelling effort to uplift the voices, experiences, and visions of Tribal child care and early learning leaders. Through conversations, site visits, and shared stories, this project documents the rich stories, strategies, and cultural strengths of Tribal child care and early learning programs across Indian Country. Together, we are building a living resource that honors the diversity and resilience of Tribal programs across Indian Country.
Led by the National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA), a Native-led organization, this project centers Indigenous knowledge and Tribal sovereignty. It is designed by and for Tribal communities—reflecting our values, our ways of knowing, and our future.
Why It Matters
Across Indian Country, Tribal programs are building early childhood systems in powerful and culturally grounded ways—but those stories are not often visible beyond their communities. While information is often collected from our communities, it is often controlled by outside entities, incomplete, and/or generalized.
This project changes that. By creating a shared, Indigenous-led repository rooted in storytelling and community wisdom, we’re making space for connection, collaboration, and shared learning—supporting stronger outcomes for Native children and families.
By participating, you help build a resource that honors our diversity, lifts up local strengths, and celebrates the many ways Native communities are caring for children through culture, care, and vision.
What Will Be
Created
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A storybank of Tribal program stories and strategies
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A collection of program highlights rooted in culture and community
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A tool for peer-to-peer learning, inspiration, and collaboration
What Participation Involves
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A one-on-one interview (virtual or in-person)
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Review and approval of your program’s story before anything is shared
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Optional site visits or photos, with consent
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A short consent form to ensure your voice is shared respectfully
Interested in Participating?
If you're interested in sharing your story, please complete the form below. A member of our team will follow up with you by email. We look forward to walking this meaningful path together.