Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/meet-cover-director-karen-ko-denise-louie-education-center-seattle-washington/5009279/
In their search for a place to belong, children and families are looking to early childhood programs to become the new neighborhoods - places where connections are made, where bonds are formed, where "everybody knows your name." Some programs have even been created out of that need for neighborhood. Such is the story of the Denise Louie Education Center in what is known as the International District in Seattle, Washington.In the late 70's the highway expansion of Interstate 5 and the construction of the Kingdome cut the International District in half and split the community. When protests failed to garner sufficient support, families and businesses came together to look for ways to retain a sense of community in spite of the upheaval, to protect the neighborhood. And the idea to create a child care center to be that place of community was born.
The Center began serving children and families in 1977, targeting Asian families who needed a place where teachers and other staff could speak their language, filling the gap created when families left their extended family in China. "And so," said director Karen Ko, "the Center rolled along for eight ...