In April 2025, the BFF Project was uplifted at the Generation HOPE National Conference, a powerful gathering dedicated to supporting student parents and catalyzing systems change in higher education, workforce development, and child care. BFF’s Project Director Manica F. Ramos spoke on the panel “Where We Stand Today: Race, Access, and Family.” She was joined by National Women’s Law Center CEO and President Fatima Goss Graves and Inspire DMV Hospitality Group Founder & CEO Furard Tate to discuss the intersection of equity, policy, and flourishing for families. NPR correspondent Elissa Nadworny moderated the panel.
The panel focused on the persistent barriers facing families navigating systems like child care, higher education, and workforce supports—especially for student parents. Manica emphasized the need to move beyond survival-based narratives and toward policies and practices that support families in truly flourishing. Her remarks introduced BFF’s national research effort, which centers the voices and experiences of Black families and explores how they interact with—and often reimagine—systems not originally designed for them.
“Families are not just managing; they are innovating, resisting, and creating new ways forward,” Manica shared. “Our role as researchers and advocates is to listen deeply and build systems that reflect the brilliance already present in communities.”
The BFF Project was well-aligned with the conference’s emphasis on hope, resilience, and transformation. Attendees expressed enthusiasm for BFF’s strengths-based approach and its commitment to honoring family heterogeneity. The event also created new opportunities for connection, with multiple organizations expressing interest in sharing BFF’s upcoming national survey and amplifying its findings.
What we took away from Generation Hope’s Conference:
- Flourishing requires system change. Families can’t flourish in systems that are rigid, extractive, or exclusionary. BFF and Generation Hopes’ work helps illuminate the types of policies and environments that help families thrive.
- Narratives matter. Moving away from deficit-based research is critical. Both Generation Hope and BFF’s framing resonates because it highlights the assets, wisdom, and agency of Black families.
- Connection drives momentum. The HOPE conference offered new partnerships and pathways to expand BFF’s reach and impact, particularly among advocates, foundations, and researchers working to advance racial and family equity.
BFF extends deep gratitude to Generation Hope for convening such a powerful community of leaders. We’re proud to be part of a growing movement to support families in higher education and beyond, and we look forward to continued collaboration to advance equity and flourishing for all.
