The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC) supports the delivery of high-quality parenting education programs that are evidence based and culturally responsive throughout Oregon and Siskiyou County, California.

In 2024, OPEC hired staff to support community-based organizations and parenting education and family support professionals that work specifically with African heritage communities and families.

Read more about the benefits of parenting education.

African Heritage work

African Heritage refers to individuals whose life experiences are grounded in African diasporic traditions, cultures, and legacies, including but not limited to, Africa, the Caribbeans, South America and the United States.

This term has been selected in collaboration with the OSU-OPEC team and community members with the aim of including and preparing for the diverse experiences within African Heritage families in our shared parenting education work.

Vision

Develop collaborative opportunities and supportive resources with partner organizations, OPEC hubs, and parenting education professionals serving African Heritage families.

Goal

Expand statewide parenting education initiatives that foster relationships, communication, and support and create culturally specific resources for organizations and parenting educators serving African Heritage families in Oregon.

Objectives

• Identify and prioritize family, OPEC hubs, parenting educators, and community needs.
• Create spaces that support relationship-building between community organizations, OPEC Hubs, and parenting educators.
• Coordinate connection opportunities, resource development, and trainings based on community needs.

OPEC supports and connections

Ubuntu series

The Ubuntu series is a collaborative exchange between African Heritage staff and community members and OPEC Hubs to identify how to support African Heritage families best.

Sawubona Fatherhood Group

The Sawubona program is a space for fathers to navigate obstacles to accessing resources by creating a roadmap to help them navigate parent and family support systems. Sawubona means “I see you” in Zulu and is a common greeting in South Africa and throughout the African diaspora.

Ongoing Hub visits and connections

OPEC Parenting Hub staff are invited to reach out to the team with questions and ideas as they work to serve their African Heritage families locally.

Resources

A Taste of African Heritage

A Taste of African Heritage is a six-session, evidence-based cooking and nutrition education program designed to encourage more consumption of spices, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans through food traditions from the African diaspora.

Effective Black Parenting

Effective Black Parenting is a 15-session parenting skill-building program aimed to promote pride and cohesion and to help families cope with the negative effects of racism.

Families (Fathers) Reading Everyday (FRED)

Families (Fathers) Reading Everyday (FRED) is a four-session parent-child reading program whose goal is to strengthen bonds and improve literacy by encouraging a focus specifically on time spent reading together. This program was by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Strong African American Families

Strong African American Families is a seven-week youth and parenting program designed to build on the strengths of African American families through resiliency tools that reduce the risk of substance use, delinquency, and other unsafe behaviors. This program is available for 10–14-year-old adolescents, and 15-19-year-old teenagers.