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Sarah: Malkia, we're so thankful to have you with us today on this episode of the podcast and we'd love to start out by asking you if you could tell us a little bit about yourself, who you are, where you are, and what you do.
Malkia Singleton Ofori-Agyekum: Sure. Sure. So, my name is Malkia Singleton Ofori-Agyekum. Um, I am currently the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for Parent Child Plus, um, which is an early literacy school readiness home visiting organization. Um, and we're currently in 15 states and four other countries right now. Um, and I'm sure I'll share more about Parent Child Plus a little bit later. Um, I am a native of Maryland, Glen Burnie, Maryland to be exact, which is about 15 minutes away from Baltimore. Um, I have spent my career mostly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Um, initially working in emergency housing, working with women and children experiencing homelessness. Um, and about 10 years ago, I moved into home visiting with Parent Child Plus. Um, and actually, Parent Child Plus has brought me back to Maryland. So, I now support our programs in uh, Philadelphia, Eastern PA, as well as Baltimore, Maryland.
Sarah: Wow. What a really amazing career and and just so much helping it sounds like. And I didn't know that you were from and are currently located in Maryland. I'm also from Maryland. I'm from Columbia.
Malkia: I’m from Glen Burnie. Yes. Yes. Oh my gosh. I love meeting fellow Marylanders. It feels like a rare occurrence.
Sarah: That's for sure. And especially being in Latrobe now in this like small area of western Pennsylvania,
Malkia: right!
Sarah: And I’m from Eastern Maryland.
Malkia: Yes, that's awesome.
Sarah: That's so fun.
Malkia: Awesome.
Kenzee Knott: So, how did you find yourself with like parent child plus? Like what inspired you to join that organization or how did you just come about it in the first place?
Malkia: Yeah. Yeah. So, like as I was sharing, I was working in emergency housing for probably about 15 years, 15-20 years. Um, I started in that work as a infant room teacher and that's where I really got bit by the early childhood education bug. I realized like I really like what I'm doing because the emergency housing program that I was working at had a um a parenting program. It's called the parent child education program where we would um we had a program for the residents who had children zero to five. We provided child care while the residents went to workshops, you know, and you know, the whole thing, the whole wraparound piece of of supporting families with young children that were also experiencing homelessness. So, um, I liked what I was doing, but I realized like I don't know what I'm doing. So, I went and got my master's degree in early childhood education. Um, and honestly, as my career went on in emergency housing, I got further and further away from early childhood education. And at one point, I was like, I don't like what I’m doing professionally anymore. I'm really not happy professionally. And I just had to sit back for a minute and think about why. And it was because I wasn't doing early childhood education anymore. So, at that point, I decided, well, it's time to get back into ECE, the ECE world, and um the Pennsylvania State Director position for parent child plus became available. Like, I literally was just doing a random job search on Idealist or Opportunity Knocks and that opportunity was there. And the more and more I researched about parent child plus, I was like, this is like the perfect marriage of everything, you know, of some advocacy, but also program support for early childhood and supporting families. And um that took place in 2016 because uh Greenlight Philadelphia brought parent child plus to Philadelphia. So they needed somebody like a liaison from the National Center which is in New York to kind of help get that program up and running. So I've been doing that since 2016. Um and just really honestly really fell in love with the model. Um and I will say and I've I've said it many places I feel like the way Parent Child Plus engages with families um is the way to work with families. You know, I've worked in a lot of different environments and nothing ever felt quite right, but this feels right. And what feels right about it is that we partner with parents. We're very intentional about having a non-judgmental approach to working with families. Um our home visitors come from the communities, the same communities that our families come from. We make sure there's a cultural and linguistic match between the family and the home visitor. So the program is done in over 40 languages uh nationally. So like all those things are so they may sound small but like they're really important, very so impactful. Um and we treat families like they're the experts in their own lives because they are. Not that we're just saying it, we live it. And so I really have a lot of respect for the model. Um, so much respect for the wonderful staff I get to work with. I've never really worked with a group of dedicated people like I I get to work with in both Pennsylvania and in Baltimore. So, um, it's just it's been a great great experience. So grateful for it.
Sarah: I just have to say I love that you that you mentioned that you partner with just the way that you're talking about the the framing of the work that you do is really really interesting and and I can tell how intentional that the work that you do is because you're talking about partnering with the parents and that righties are the experts in their own lives >> saying like we're not coming in to tell you what to do and what the right or wrong way to do what you do. >> They they know what they're doing because…
Malkia: They know what they're doing right. Exactly.
Sarah: I love that. And and like you can just tell how intentional your work is by the way that you're talking about it.
Malkia: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and I appreciate and I've I've had this experience over and over again that like um when we have a special event or a funder may come to a site visit, we don't have to do a whole bunch of preparing what we're going to do and say, you know, because we talk about what we do. This is what we do and and there's nothing more to it, you know, and I can really just appreciate that.
Kenzee: Yeah. No, I was gonna say I really love your emphasis of the term intentional. Everything that you do is intentional. Um, but I'm curious like for your role as a regional director, like what does your day-to-day look like?
Malkia: Every day is different. Every day is different, which I like. I really like that every day is different. Um, so it could be a myriad of things. It could be conversations with funders. It could be honestly getting reports and data to funders. It could be some funder prospecting because that is a part of my role is making sure sites have what they need to be able to um to function. Of course, that involves money. So, a lot of external relationships and that's from a funder side, but also just a partnership aspect, you know. So I do um sit on a lot of different steering committees um like for um like our campaign for grade level reading arm in Philadelphia which is called read by fourth. I sit on a couple different committees with them um because that is you know a part of what we're doing is making sure early literacy in place. So you know by third grade children are reading on grade level. Um so they've been a great partner. Also, we're like on a steering committee for uh centralized intake for home visiting in Philadelphia. In Maryland, um there's a group of uh early childhood programs called Judy Centers um that they're really they're embedded in schools, but they're there to really address like the zero to four year old needs before a family has to even enroll in school. So, really trying to build that relationship. so involved in that and also because we our organization works with such a large immigrant population and we do in Philadelphia as well in Baltimore um and Easton is that we um you know I'm involved in some different immigrant supporting groups as well in both uh states. So yeah, so meetings, doing a lot of talking and external relationships, a lot of doing an overview of what parent child plus is um connecting with the sites, making sure they have what they need, um and you know, kind of synthesize and taking that information back and then having internal meetings at the national center to hopefully resolve anything that needs to be resolved.
Sarah: Wow. It sounds like you wear so many hats and you do so many things in your role. And I love, you know, Fred Fred Rogers has a quote. He mentions um the idea of being more than just one thing and how people are more than, you know, what they seem on the surface. And I think just hearing you talk about your role, that makes me think of, you know, Fred talking about that because you are clearly more than just one thing. You are all of the things.
Malkia: And that's that's outstate directors. Um I'm not the only you know regional director. We have about we have seven state directors. So we all, you know, and every and I'll say this, another thing I really appreciate about parent child plus is that um we know every, you know, every city, every place, every town, every state looks different, right? So what's going to make sense in Pennsylvania or Philadelphia may not make sense in Baltimore and certainly may not make sense in uh San Jose, California or Seattle, Washington, you know. So I think it's really important that we, you know, we provide enough structure for our sites, but we also give enough flexibility that they can meet local needs and function the way they need to in their, you know, where they live because it's it's different. It's just it just is.
Sarah: Yes. And I'm so glad that that is the way that you and your organization view things because that that's so true. It's something that works for one population is simply not going to work in the same way for another. So, I'm really glad to hear that,
Malkia: right! Even within the same city, right? One neighborhood is going to is going to work there. In another neighborhood, you got to have a whole different approach. So, and that's again, that's why it's so important that our staff come from the communities that our families live in.
Sarah: That's so wonderful. And it's so clear that you you are working in a helping profession. And I'm wondering what what do you think it means to be a helper?
Malkia: Yeah. So, I think being a helper is really providing the help that somebody wants or needs, not the help you think they want or need. You know, they say, you know, the golden rule is, you know, do unto others as you would have done unto yourself, right? But the platinum rule is do unto others as they would have done unto them, you know, and that that I'm not saying I live up to that every day, but it's something I do aspire to, you know. Um, and what that takes is it takes listening, you know. Um, the the Philadelphia team and I, we had a really unique opportunity to do a a parent innovation institute to learn about family centered design. Um, it was a really great experience and what made it so great was that um, it was a team of three staff. if I was one of them and then two parents and we really we had like six months to be together to learn about this model and think about how it could be applied to parent child plus and one of my key takeaways from it um was I always thought I was a good listener. I was like, I don't know how much I'm really listening. I'm listening to solve and that's not listening. Like just listen to like listen to what somebody is saying. It takes practice, you know. So to me that that's the ultimate helper. That's some that's something I aspire to, you know. It's hard.
Sarah: It's hard to not just listen to solve, especially when you're in a job like yours when you are, you know, you're there to solve and help and and try to try to fix things or prevent things from problems. And so to to try to like hone that skill of really listening, I'm sure that's really challenging.
Malkia: Yeah, it it it can be it's it's really interesting how hard it is to do nothing. To do nothing. have to do and and even without you know home visitors sometimes there is nothing to do you know it is just to be there to listen
Kenzee: No definitely no that's I feel like I'm still trying to learn how to actively listen it's easier said than done for sure. so kind of related to you you know you talked about your day-to-day and how it looks a little different um is there anything or something that you wish people knew about what you do or wish that people knew about your organization.
Malkia: Yeah. Well, you know what? I feel like Parent Child Plus is like a little known gem. Sometimes a lot of people have never heard of Parent Child Plus, but we have been around for 60 years as you can see in my background. Um, we were founded in 1965. So, we are celebrating 60 years this year. Um, so I wish more people knew about it and I wish I wish everybody could get parent child plus, right? But of course it costs money and and all of that. But I think more than anything um I really just wish people couple things. One understand how important these early years are. You know some of the language we use is the children have 1800 days from birth to kindergarten and how important those 1800 days are right. Um so that you know more support can be put in place for families with young children you know and and really for everyone not just you know not just quote unquote underresourced areas everybody needs support everybody is is the most one of the most hardest jobs ever right so I wish I wish this could be available for everyone but also just the um the strength the resourcefulness that is in communities, you know, even though you go you're going into help and support, but that people could really appreciate, you know, how much and I some sometimes that word resilience, you know, it has it can be a tricky tricky word, right? Because then why do people need to be resilient, right? And why do people always expected to be resilient? But there's such resilience, such strength, such wisdom, you know, in the communities that we're working in. And I think most people look at them again as underresourced, marginalized, all these different, you know, words with with a somewhat negative connotation. Um, and it's it's a lot more there to it.
Sarah: And I know you mentioned earlier that you pull from pe you pull from the community to kind of feed back into the community. So that you're kind of pulling from that wisdom and that you know all of that are already there…
Malkia: …that are already there. Yeah. And one thing another thing that parent child plus does that I really love is that we will hire our parents. So if a parent goes through the program and they would like to you know like I love to do this with my community and you know the organization we're partner with has a capacity to hire they will hire that parent. So nationally 30% of our early learning specialists are former parents. You know, we even had former parents as directors and site coordinators, you know. So to me, there's no better um advertisement of a program.
Sarah: Yeah. And what better way to lift up the parents that you're working with by telling them and showing them that they are capable of such amazing...
Malkia: Yeah. And we haven't hired our first parent yet in Baltimore, but I suspect we will soon. Um and in Philadelphia, we've hired four parents so far.
Sarah: That's really incredible.
Malkia: And I'm pretty sure in Easton we've hired at least one parent as well. So it's like it it really happens like and it's amazing when it does.
Sarah: Amazing. Wow. So, I imagine that with the nature of the work that you do, I'm sure that there are some um tough moments or tough days here and there. Um would you share a story of maybe a time that you remembered your why for doing what you're doing? Maybe in the midst of a tough moment or tough day, like a Oh, yeah. That's why I do what I do.
Malkia: Yeah. Yeah. So, and it's actually from our um one of our sites in Baltimore. They're new. They're they're not even a year old yet. Um, and you know, starting up in a community with such a like grassroots approach and whatnot, it can take a while to to, you know, build up your case load and all those things, you know. So, one of our news sites in Baltimore, they shared a story with me, you know, and after being, you know, concerned about different things and this is actually in an immigrant community. So you know the challenges that are happening you know there's ICE in the community. People are afraid to open the door you know it's a lot of fear just it's so much happening right now especially in our immigrant communities. Um but one of this story is just super sweet. So the and it's a Spanish speaking early learning specialist and a Spanish speaking family and you know we go in twice a week so it's a lot of it's it's really good for continuity. So the second visit of the week I think the um the mom told the early learning specialist oh you know the little boy was asking about your hair like why is it curly because his hair is straight. He had never seen somebody with curly hair. And so they had a whole conversation about the curly hair and she said, "Oh, you know, do you want to touch it?" And so he got to touch her hair, right? And that may sound like so like, okay, so what to somebody else, but like that is a powerful moment in my mind because honestly, if if that was not happening where there was a similar cultural match, that could have a totally different meaning, >> right? So this child now sees somebody looks like me, sounds like me, has curly hair and wow, this is just something great about them, right? You know, and then it to follow that up. Um the activity was, you know, to to draw a picture of like your favorite person or something. Just draw a picture that you want to frame and they had like little frames and the little boy draw drew a picture of his home visitor. when with the curly hair and it you know and I say this quite often to my site it's sites like and this is why we do what we do you know what I mean and even if we don't because we do have a pretty high touch program it happens over 92 home visits you know that's can take a year year and a half you know um and sometimes families don't finish different things happen right and we have seen this a lot right now in immigrant communities. Folks are moving to different states or different things like that. I said, "But you know what? You that as long as much time as they had with you, you made an impact and this is why we do what we do, you know." So, um that's one of the recent why, you know, little boy discovering curly hair and how, you know, that was just an amazing discovery for him.
Sarah: Oh, that's such a sweet story. I love that. And and it's true to on the on the surface it might seem like a like you said like a so what he just asked a question about somebody's hair but also thinking about how he felt comfortable to ask that question and how the home visitor responded to that question that he's going to remember that interaction whether it's subconscious or conscious when he goes on later in life and meets other people who are different or the same as him in different ways. He's gonna reflect on that moment.
Malkia: Right. Right. And it's gonna be it's gonna be positive.Versus it could, you know what I mean? It could could have gone a different way. Yeah. Know that would set a precedent for him, but he's gonna you know that he can ask questions about a difference and it's it's okay and that's you know it's a great thing.
Sarah: Oh, that's so special.
Kenzee: Yeah. No, I definitely agree. I hope he grows up and be a curious guy.
Malkia: Yeah, for sure.
Kenzee: No. Um, unfortunately, this is the end of our time. Thank you so much for speaking with us. Um, I just have one final question. Um, do you have any final thoughts for our listeners?
Malkia: I think one final thought would be you will never regret helping. You you'll never regret doing more honestly. So just ponder on that. Yeah,
Sarah: Thank you for sharing that that that's really powerful to think about. I know I'll think about that as we end our time together. For sure. Thank you so much again, Malkia. This is so wonderful.
Malkia: Oh, thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
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Sarah: I so enjoyed getting to talk with Malkia and getting to learn a little bit more about her and the work that she does. What did you think of that conversation, Kenzee?
Kenzee: Oh my gosh, it was absolutely so amazing. I feel like Malia had a ton of wonderful things to say and to learn more about Parent Child Plus as an organization and all the wonderful work that they do, especially what Malia does as well was just so insightful. Um, what about you Sarah?
Sarah: Yeah, I I was so thankful to be able to learn more about Parent Child Plus in general. And it sounds like Malia is doing such important work, as is all of Parent Child Plus, but Malkia is is being so intentional and so um doing so many things. And I know I mentioned in our conversation with her um the quote from Fred where he mentions um being more than just one thing. Um just for our listeners, I wanted to share the full quote. Um, Fred said, "What's been important in my understanding of myself and others is the fact that each one of us is so much more than any one thing. A sick child is much more than his or her sickness. A person with a disability is much, much more than a handicap. A pediatrician is more than a medical doctor. You're more than your job description or your age or your income or your output.” And Malkia is so many things. And that's only within her job description of what she does at Parent Child Plus. She's so many things outside of her job as well, but um she's doing such incredible work.
Kenzee: Yeah, she is doing such amazing work. Um something that stuck with me about her organization in general is the fact that um about 30% of their staff are former like individuals that their families and children had gone through the same system and they're coming back to help other families going through a similar thing. And they're all people within the same community as well. So, like they're helping their actual neighbor, which is crazy to me.
Sarah: And how how pertinent to the work of Fred Rogers to be neighborly and and help your neighbor. Like, you can't get more on brand with Fred than that. And that is so cool that that that organization really values the parents and families that they work with so much that they are uplifting them in that capacity when it is the right fit.
Kenzee: Right. And the fact that Malkia noted that, you know, a couple of like characteristics of families and the workers of parent child plus are also the fact that they're like very strong and resourceful and resilient. Like I just love the word resilient in general, but that's just such an amazing way to describe someone.
Sarah: Yes, I agree. And thinking about that conversation with Malkia, which of the six fundamentals of learning and growing would you say stuck out to you in talking with her?
Kenzee: I'd say curiosity just because of the last story that she shared about the young boy who made that connection with the home visitor um and got to like touch her hair and kind of talk through it because he had straight hair and had never really seen anyone with curly hair. Um that I think is just so uplifting um and just the connection there was beautiful.
Sarah: That was such a special story and such a great story of a time for somebody to remember their why. Um, I I think you know I said this to Melkia, but I think that's says something really powerful about the relationships that are built between those home visitors and the families and the children in those homes that the boy felt comfortable enough to ask that question and that the home visitor felt comfortable enough to make it a learning and fun experience. Um because children and and adults are curious when when they notice things that are the same and different from others. And it it can feel awkward to wonder things and not know if you're allowed to ask or not know how to ask or if you're asking in the right way. Um how to be, you know, respectful of somebody else's differences. But for that boy to feel comfortable to just say like, "Hey, I've never seen something like that. I noticed that you have curly hair. Can you know?" and and to to make that into an experience that he will hopefully remember and will foster his curiosity for years to come. And it also made me think of Fred Rogers. Um he often talked about being the same and different. And Fred Rogers said, "We're all so much alike and yet we're all so different. I find myself rejoicing at the endless variety of human beings. And that's partly I know because your differences from one another tell me that it's all right for me to be different in many ways too.” So I'm thinking about that little boy and how hopefully he starts to not only foster that sense of curiosity but hopefully a sense of selfworth in himself too and to value others sense of selfworth by recognizing those similarities and differences.
Kenzee: Yeah, I definitely think that selfworth really stuck out there, especially with the story with the young boy. Um, and I think, you know, for our listeners in terms of like a charge or a takeaway that they should take from this conversation, Malkia, her final thoughts were to never regret helping. And I think that should be, you know, that takeaway for our listeners.
Sarah: Yeah, I agree. That is a good takeaway for our listeners. I think there were no better final thoughts to end with than the ones that Malkia shared with us. I I really do think that it's true that you'll never regret helping another person. Um so I guess the charge is to help someone whether that's in a big way or a small way or something in between. Um whether it's a neighbor, a friend, or a stranger. Um maybe find a small way to to help that maybe you wouldn't have thought to do before.
Kenzee: Yep, that's a great idea, Sarah. Thank you for joining us for another great episode of Listen to the Helpers.
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