Our Story

Parents Leading the Way to SEL

Parents Leading the Way to Social and Emotional Learning (PLWSEL) is a team of 8 committed parents. We were first recruited from Hartford’s Capitol region in 2019 by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI). Funded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, we served as community-based parent leaders in a research-to-practice-partnership for 3 years. We learned about Emotional Intelligence (EI) and the RULER approach to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).

During this period, we explored the EI and SEL concepts in our own lives. We used our reflections to co-develop culturally-affirming, inclusive resources for families and educators. This was a collaborative, dynamic process with researchers and practitioners from the YCEI.

Over 2019-2022, we created “Stories for Growth: Making Meaning of Emotions.” This resource is a series of 7 animated videos, 8 accompanying workshops, a participant workbook, and a facilitator’s guide. We designed them for community service agencies and other groups to promote family SEL and well-being.

The powerful impact of SEL for families inspired us to launch Parents Leading the Way to Social and Emotional Learning (PLWSEL) in 2022.

Who We Are

Collectively, we are Parents Leading the Way to SEL (PLWSEL)

Individually, we are Lovey Brown, Vincent Hatten, Ivoni Montes, Carmen Morales, Tony Nelson, Bobie Jo Parker, Susan Sarmiento, and Maria Vasquez. The unique collaboration created personal and professional growth opportunities for us. As parents and caregivers, we became more emotionally intelligent, developed ourselves as individuals, and cultivated leadership skills to carry this work forward within our communities. Each of us is forever changed by our collaboration and our individual and collective experiences.

Lovey Brown

Lovey Brown is working with the Catholic Charities of Hartford Fatherhood program through a men’s emotional support group who meet regularly. The program helps fathers gain awareness of the important role they play in their children’s overall social, emotional, mental, physical, and developmental well-being. a men’s emotional support group who meet regularly. He also assists The Village for Families and Children with a men’s group. The Village’s Fatherhood Engagement Services group supports fathers who are committed to being good dads (Lovey is featured in the Village’s 2019-20 Highlights). Lovey also led a parent leadership group with Gwen Samuels from the Connecticut Parent Union. His mission is to create safe spaces, especially for men, in Hartford to engage in conversations about emotions. 

Vincent Hatten

Vincent Hatten is the Youth Engagement Coordinator at African Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities, Inc. (AFCAMP) Advocacy for Children in Hartford. AFCAMP is a non-profit organization in Hartford that empowers families and engages systems to improve children’s lives. In this role, Vincent mentors young community leaders and coordinates training and events promoting advocacy for policy and program reform to improve services and supports available to children with special needs and others at risk of educational inequity.

 

Ivoni Montes

Ivoni Montes is an active member of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) Parent Cabinet. In June 2021, the OEC selected 15 parents from across the state to serve on the Parent Cabinet. This group contributes to important issues like improving laws and policies related to young children and their families and providing guidance on the needs of families. She will serve on this cabinet for a 2-year term. In addition, Ivoni works for YMCA Family Learning of Wethersfield as a Teacher’s assistant. Ivoni also participated in the Wethersfield Family Learning Program, Crianza con Cariño at Family Life Education Inc, she is involved in the People Empowering People (PEP) by UCONN, and she is a volunteer for the Wethersfield Early Childhood Collaborative (WECC). 

Carmen Morales

Carmen Morales is a former Children and Families Support Service Provider. She began her professional role after completing her B.A. in Child Studies. She dedicated 15 years to teaching preschoolers for Mt. Olive Child Development in Hartford. Her desire to strengthen parent relationships between school and home inspired her to take on a position with Family Life Education, one of five family centers of the Brighter Futures initiative funded through the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. In her 10 years with Family Life Education, she worked as an Early Childhood Educator, Family Specialist, and Program Coordinator. She facilitated programs that encourage parent leadership and community engagement such as PEP, Nurturing Families Network (NFN) Parents raising Children, and leading local Community Cafés. She provided child/parent interaction programs that support family literacy, playgroups, and the ages and stages developmental monitoring system. Recently retiring from Family Life Education, Carmen has continued to stay active and engage in her community. She is committed to the work with PLWSEL while also dedicating time to her family.

Tony Nelson

Tony Nelson served as the Parent Leader Coordinator for the three-year grant and is the National Mobilization Director for Fathers In Education, Inc. Recently, Fathers in Education submitted a proposal for the 4th Annual Children of Incarcerated Parents National Conference (Well-Being) at Arizona State University where they will be presenting their system and programs. In addition, Mr. Nelson is submitting proposals to the CT Department of Corrections and Bridgeport’s Mayor’s Initiative for Reentry Affairs (MIRA) program (Families First Project). Bridgeport Families First (BFF) is a new program dedicated to addressing challenges faced by children of incarcerated parents.

Bobie Jo Parker

Bobie Jo Parker is actively involved with the Family Resource Center (FRC) in West Hartford, CT. The Bridge Family Center, in partnership with Charter Oak Academy, established the Family Resource Center to support the healthy development of families in the community. Bobie Jo participates in a number of parent leadership opportunities such as PEP (People Empowering People) Class of 2011, Circle of Security, Baby Book Worms, PLTI (Parent Leader Training Institute) Class of 2020 , Ages and Stages, Positive Discipline, Leader of Girl Scout troops and Boy Scout Troops and served many roles in her children’s’ PTO (Parent Teacher Organization). Bobie Jo attended the University of Saint Joseph working toward an Early Childhood Education Degree and is raising her 5 kids with her husband Seth. Currently, Bobie Jo is taking care of children and helping to enrich their lives with all the wonderful resources she has.

Susan Sarmiento

Susan Sarmiento is the Program Coordinator, Parent and Mentor Engagement at The Governor’s Prevention Partnership since December 2018. Susan works for The Partnership coordinating and overseeing Por Los Ninos and mentor recruitment. Susan brings extensive experience in Community Engagement, Parent Engagement, Advocate for Immigrant Latino Families. Susan is a proud resident of the City of Hartford since 2004. She is an active volunteer in family centers and a former consultant for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, overseeing the work with Parent Leadership in the City of Hartford. Susan has a passion for the lives and wellbeing of families. She can often be found nurturing parents and helping them navigate the system.

Maria Vasquez

Maria Vasquez was selected in November 2021 to serve as one of two Parent Ambassadors for the Wethersfield Early Childhood Collaborative (WECC). Parent Ambassadors report directly to Governor Ned Lamont’s Parent Cabinet connecting Wethersfield to state policymakers. As a Parent Ambassador, Maria seeks to focus on inclusion of the many cultures in our community. In fall 2021, Maria participated in the Wethersfield Family Learning Program, Crianza con Cariño at Family Life Education Inc. She also participates in the Childcare for Connecticut’s Future meetings and is part of the ESL Family Learning program in Wethersfield, CT. 

Who We Are

We graciously thank the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for sponsoring this unique community-based collaboration and the development of resources and videos to support the well-being of children, families and communities.

“Stories for Growth: Making Meaning of Emotions” was co-developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence; Tony Nelson, who is the National Mobilization Director for Fathers in Education; and parents and caregivers of children in Hartford, Connecticut. The project’s core team members are listed as follows:

  • Craig Bailey, Assistant Professor, Yale Child Study Center; Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

  • Kathryn Lee, Associate Director of RULER for Families, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

  • Whitney Sanders, Project Coordinator of RULER for Early Childhood Initiatives, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

  • Tony Nelson, National Mobilization Director for Fathers in Education and Parent Leader Coordinator

  • Hartford Parent Leaders: Lovey Brown, Vincent Hatten, Ivoni Montes, Carmen Morales, Bobie Jo Parker, Susan Sarmiento, Maria Vasquez

  • Poulomi Mukherji, Animation Director

Special Thanks:

  • Original music by Larry Groupé, Professor of Music, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
  • Nicole Park, Elisa Laudati, Daphnee Nicolas, Lauren Costello, Robin Stern, Diana Divecha, and Sarah Kadden.