THE PEACE PROGRAM
anti-bias / anti-racist work
We stand in solidarity with Black, Indigenous and People of the Global Majority against racism and the systematic oppression of People of the Global Majority, especially Black, Indigenous, 2sLGBTQIA+ Women. We use our programming to uplift the work of Black, Indigenous, and practitioners/ families of the Global Majority so that we may live into the values of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
What do we mean by Anti-Racism?
In order to explain the ways in which our programs and facilitators live into our values of being/becoming Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist, we have to define what that means to us and what success will look like.
Antiracism is a belief that people are inherently equal no matter which invented race one belongs to (no person is better or worse than another in any number of measures based on race)*. And, an Antiracist acknowledges that there are racial disparities in every facet of life (from life expectancy, income, test scores, etc). We at The PEACE Program know that these disparities have been systematically and intentionally created through opportunities and privileges for some races (namely, white) and obstacles for other races (namely, Black, Indigenous and People of the Global Majority). We believe that any disparity based on race has been created based on a policy or structure that can be changed. The policies, not the people, are the focus. This is also true for Anti-Bias: no person is better or worse than another based on gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, etc. As each of these oppressions and biases stem from white supremacy, the framework of race is our starting point knowing however, that misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and more are interconnected.
*Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be An Antiracist
What is The PEACE Program’s focus in Anti-Racism work?
1. There are clear disparities based on race within the Montessori Parent-Educator community. When you look at mainstream Montessori conference speaker line-ups and Montessori Parent-Educator Influencers, the field prominently features white cis-women. This is systemic (and includes the PEACE Program founder, Mariana)!
2. There are clear disparities based on race in accessing 0-3 Montessori teacher training and becoming a Montessori Parent-Educator. Some of this is structural economic inequity and some of this is the shear lack of attention on Parenting-Education in the typical Montessori teacher training experience. This means less Black, Indigenous, and People of the Global Majority in 0-3 Montessori education and even fewer in the field of Parenting Education. Representation and shared lived experiences matter in Parenting-Education. It is essential that ALL parents can find guidance that is culturally relevant so that they can show up for their child as they are trying to do.
3. There are clear obstacles to accessing in-person parenting-education. The obstacles for Black, Indigenous, and People of the Global Majority are more significant based on the layers of systemic oppression. From whether you have access to transportation to attend parenting classes to whether you have the privilege of a flexible schedule to have time off from work to whether you can afford the class, these obstacles fall harder on the shoulders of Black, Indigenous, and Parents of the Global Majority and often make those programs inaccessible (and this assumes the classes exist in the first place!). And increasingly, in-person programs are more challenging for those who are immunocompromised, have a disability, or are part of the 2sLGBTQIA+ community.
What is The PEACE Program doing about the disparities in the accessing quality Montessori Parenting-Education with representative voices?
1. We are transparent about our beginnings.
The PEACE Program was founded by Mariana Bissonnette who wanted to provide critically needed access to developmental information and community spaces in her community in Oakland, CA (Lisjan Ohlone Land). Mariana started a free, drop-in play group for families in the area to be with their babies and learn a thing or two about the child's development. The success of the program led Mariana to serve over 1200 families in the first three years of the program alone! However, Mariana was the only facilitator available to families.
2. We identified the policy that upheld that inequity and changed it!
In response to listening to and learning from Black and Brown activists in 2020, Mariana recognized that she would not always be the right parent-educator for all families. So, she took to The PEACE Program and identified the unwritten policy of remaining a single-facilitator program. The PEACE Program now has multiple pathways to support, mentor, and uplift the work of aspiring and current Montessori educators so that more Montessori spaces aimed at community care are available from a wide array of parent-educators.
The PEACE Scholarship (Now the PEACE Mentorship): In 2020, Mariana started a Montessori training scholarship and supported four aspiring Montessorians from 2020-2024. This scholarship provided mentoring and financial assistance to these trainees and featured them at The PEACE Summit. In 2024, the PEACE Scholarship evolved into the PEACE Mentorship where trainees and recent Montessori grads can get mentoring and support as they implement Montessori in their classrooms and with families in their communities.
100% of PEACE Scholars have been Black and/or Indigenous and have gone on to earn their 0-3 and/or 3-6 Montessori diplomas.
$9500 worth of funding has been given to PEACE Scholars and PEACE Mentorship participants since 2020.
80 hours of mentoring and coaching has been provided since 2020
PEACE Facilitation (the “Hive”): In 2022, Mariana built off the work of the Scholarship program to create an avenue to support and collaborate with already trained Montessorians aiming to get into or extend their Parenting-Education work. After working together as a dedicated International team of Montessori educators, we realized that we could put on an amazing conference and The PEACE Summit was born. Mariana works with each facilitator to refine their presentation skills and grow their parenting-education practice to bring to their own communities.
About the 24/25 PEACE Facilitation Team:
67% of 24/25 PEACE Facilitators are Black, Indigenous, or of the Global Majority.
100% are multilingual
89% are experienced classroom teachers and are parents themselves
44% are experienced parent-educators and are cross trained in 0-3 and 3-6
54% live outside the United States (including Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America)
3. We contribute to BIPGM-Owed businesses to do our business!
We know that effects of white supremacy and colonization are deep, complex, and difficult to address. There is no simple fix in frameworks that are so embedded into every aspect of our lives. And, we know that a powerful step forward is to uplift, support, and contribute to BIPGM organizations serving those most marginalized by these systems of power.
Sliding Scale Programming: Mariana has supported over 2500 families with early Montessori parenting-education and she hopes to serve 2500 more! She is committed to continually offer many programs free of charge as well as to offer many programs at a Sliding Scale. We appreciate the organizations and individuals who contribute to keep programs accessible to all interested families.
Indigenous Montessori Institute: The Indigenous Montessori Institute is an anti-racist, anti-biased approach to educational reform using Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Montessori Philosophy to deliver Teacher Training. The PEACE Program contributes to the IMI monthly in support of wider access to Montessori education, training, and support for Indigenous educators, families, and ultimately, children. **Fun Fact: Our 2022 & 2023 PEACE Scholars are both Cochiti Montessori Educators who helped found and run the first 0-3 Montessori classroom at the Keres Children’s Learning Center!
Roots of Labor Birth Collective: Roots of Labor Birth Collective (RLBC) is committed to reproductive justice, and believes that everyone deserves a doula, regardless of one’s ability to pay. When you hire an RLBC doula, you are investing in the wellness of Oakland and the greater Bay Area birthing community (where The PEACE Program operates). The PEACE Program contributes to the RLBC monthly in support of wider access to birthing support, doulas, and reproductive justice.
Sogorea Te Land Trust: Sogorea Te’ Land Trust is an urban Indigenous women-led land trust based in the San Francisco Bay Area that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people. Sogorea Te’ Land Trust cultivates rematriation. Sogorea Te’ calls on us all to heal and transform the legacies of colonization, genocide, and patriarchy and to do the work our ancestors and future generations are calling us to do. The PEACE Program is operated out of Huchiun, the ancestral land of the Lisjan Ohlone People (currently occupied by the City of Oakland in the Bay Area). The PEACE Program contributes to the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust monthly in support of returning Indigenous land to Indigenous People.
PODCAST & CONFERENCE
The PEACE Team
EACH YEAR, MARIANA COLLABORATES WITH MONTESSORI TRAINED EDUCATORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO PUT ON OUR PODCAST AND ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
In response to listening to and learning from Black and Brown activists in 2020, Mariana recognized that she would not always be the right parent-educator for all familie. To address this, Mariana created a Scholarship Program (now called PEACE Mentorship) where she supported four aspiring Montessori teachers during their training with mentorship and financial assistance. 100% of the PEACE Scholars were Black and/or Indigenous. From that program and in pursuit of supporting more teachers, Mariana began building a team of Facilitators to help her deliver parenting education in addition to supporting the mentorship of upcoming Montessori teachers.
About the 24/25 PEACE Facilitation Team:
67% of 24/25 PEACE Facilitators are Black, Indigenous, or of the Global Majority.
100% are multilingual
89% are experienced classroom teachers and are parents themselves
44% are experienced parent-educators and are cross trained in 0-3 and 3-6
54% live outside the United States (including Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America)
PEACE Facilitators work closely with Mariana and share responsibility for contributing to a culture based on our communal values of self-reflection, self-care, responsiveness to being/becoming Anti-Bias / Anti-Racist and a deep commitment to the whole child within the whole family.