Building a village around our children |
About Play Cousins Collective |
Play Cousins Collective envisions a world where African American children can freely play and prosper. The actualization of such a world necessitates intentional investments in justice, health, and development for African American communities. Play Cousins Collective mobilizes and leads such investments through various projects focused on community needs including: resource sharing, social advocacy, civic education, financial literacy education, mental health support, maternal health support, child care, child development education, and parental support. |
Established in 2017, Play Cousins Collective strives to build a village around socially and economically vulnerable children and families in West Louisville, Kentucky, through juvenile justice, mental health, and community development projects in historically and predominantly African American neighborhoods. Black mother, organizer, and educator Kristen Williams has led the mission of Play Cousins Collective as the organization’s Executive Director since its founding. The work of Play Cousins Collective is further supported by 26 community members who collaborate to build safe spaces that are accessible and uplifting to Black children and families. Members of Play Cousins Collective inherit the collective genius and cultural wealth that is Black Louisville. Through our growing network of Black families, businesses and service providers we are carving out safe spaces to exist and meet our needs. The quality and quantity of our relationships are a major determinant of health. Play Cousins Collective programs recognize systemic oppression, neglect, and exclusion by systems meant to serve us as hazardous. Play Cousins Collective creates intimate spaces steeped in cultural practice and Black joy to share resources and knowledge. Our spaces are intersectional, intergenerational, and centered around the most vulnerable--our children. |
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