All children have the right to grow up healthy, safe, and with every opportunity. First 5 San Mateo County advocates and advances change for San Mateo County’s children. Integral to that is our work to change the systems and structures that perpetuate inequity and barriers to opportunity for young children and their families. Centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is both a guiding principle and a priority area of strategic focus of First 5.
First 5 San Mateo County is engaged in efforts to promote racial equity both within our organization and in partnership with others. In addition to this focused attention, DEIB principles are embedded throughout our work, with the goal of supporting families through a targeted universalism approach.
This page shares information and updates on some of the efforts, and will continue to be updated with additional information as the work evolves.
Read about how we're adding belonging to our racial equity approach
Find posts about how First 5 and our partners are advancing equity
“Trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally responsive systems promote the safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments necessary to eliminate inequities and ensure healthy development for all children.”
“Our focus is on seeing inequity in the lives of children and families and trying to do something about it, because all children have the right to grow up healthy, safe, and with every opportunity.”
To that end, First 5 San Mateo County Commissioners and staff are engaging in a series of workshops focused on racial equity and how our work can address it.
In 2020, we issued ourselves the 21 Day Equity Challenge to further our personal understanding of and commitment to ending systemic racism. We invite our partners across the county to do the same.
For 21 days, take one step to further your understanding of power, privilege, white supremacy, oppression, and equity. Each day, choose to read, listen, watch, notice, connect, engage, or act. Try to diversify your habits across categories.
Record your process using the PDF linked below or a journal of your choosing.
This is based on the 21-day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge from Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., Debbie Irving, and Dr. Marguerite Penick Parks. Learn more at the link below.
© 2024 First 5 San Mateo County
Kitty Lopez has served as the Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County since 2013, focusing on strategic investing, community leadership, policy and advocacy development for young children, 0-5, and their families.
Kitty has served as Co-Chair of the Advisory Body for Build Up for San Mateo County Children’s Initiative, with Board of Supervisor, Dave Pine, since 2018. Congressman Kevin Mullin is Honorary Co-Chair. This initiative was established to preserve, grow, and increase the number of early care sites in San Mateo County.
Kitty previously served as the Executive Director of Samaritan House, one of San Mateo County’s leading Core Service Agencies and safety-net nonprofits serving low-income families and individuals with food, shelter, clothing, health care, counseling, education classes, and holiday assistance from 2002 to 2013.
Kitty taught kindergarten, second grade, and high school in southern California and San Francisco and was a consultant in schools with children who have autism and special needs. Additionally, Kitty worked in a residential substance abuse treatment center in San Francisco and psychiatric hospital for children and youth in San Diego. Kitty’s roots in supporting children began as a 16-year-old volunteer at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles where she taught swimming to children and adults with visual impairments.
She attended University of California Santa Barbara earning a California Teaching Credential and B.A in Psychology. Kitty is active in her community serving as Vice Chair of the San Mateo County Event Center, and Past President and Current Member of the San Mateo Rotary Club. She is currently serving as Past President of the First 5 Association of California. On March 2022, Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin selected Kitty Lopez as the 2022 Assembly District 22 Woman of the Year.
