For the past 10 years, Families of Color Seattle, (FOCS), has connected parents and caregivers of BIPOC children with each other. The nonprofit provided them with a much-needed community, according to Christine Tang, FOCS executive director.
"We have to be intentional about community, about bringing our children to spaces where there are other Black and brown children that they can play with, talk with," Tang said.
While Tang leads FOCS, she came to it nine years ago as a mom searching for a community. She said her providers recommended other groups for new parents, but oftentimes, she'd end up being the only person of color. That setting did not allow her to bring up topics related to race and identity. Tang said FOCS was a lifesaver.
"It was something I was seeking without realizing how important it was for me to find a place," Tang said.
FOCS provides families with tools to support them as parents. They have parent groups, which are led by people who've gone through the program. The goal is to help families raise strong and compassionate children of color. FOCS caters to different groups providing a space for an array of people.
"For Native families, Black moms, single mothers, parents who have children with disabilities," Tang said. "We can talk about what it means to raise children of color in Seattle in our world today. We can talk about how our children are seen and how we have to advocate for them."
FOCS puts on family programs which are community activities that bring diverse families of all ages together.
Families of all backgrounds attended a 10-year anniversary celebration on Sunday at Jefferson Park.
"We all have the same goal," said Kendra Aguilar, FOCS board president. "We all want to create a better world for our children to live, to grow in, to thrive, to lead in."
While she's the current board president, Aguilar came to FOCS a few years ago for help.
"We ended up taking in two small children unexpectedly for a family friend and raising them for three and a half years," Aguilar said. "At the time, we had never been parents before."
Aguilar said FOCS's help allowed her family to thrive. It's why she became part of the nonprofit and why she wants other people to know about it.
"We want people to know we're here," Aguilar said. "We're here for you. It takes everybody to create a village and a space for children to thrive, so everybody is part of FOCS."
Learn more about FOCS by visiting their website here.