A Night With the Stars Equity Builder Awardee Highlight: Erica Roberts
Erica’s commitment to education and advocacy makes her a true builder of equity.
When it comes to education and advocacy for families, especially for residents in the 24:1 community, Erica Roberts is what you may call a “subject matter expert.”
Erica has served as a Parent Teacher Educator at Parents As Teachers National Center (PAT) for the past 10 years, where she provides families with young children with education and support services. She does this by engaging directly with the families, including all family members, ensuring that they feel seen, supported and heard.
For her efforts, Erica was recognized as one of three Equity Builder Award recipients at the Community Impact Network’s Fourth Annual A Night with the Stars celebration in December 2025, honoring individuals advancing equity through direct service work across the 24:1 footprint.
The Equity Award is presented to an individual who has outstanding commitment to advancing equity and solutions by actively working to dismantle barriers and create inclusive opportunities. Erica’s peers felt this award truly reflected her work and impact. “Erica exemplifies what it means to be an Equity Builder through her compassionate and consistent approach to supporting families,” her nomination for the Equity Builder Award said.
In addition to building equity and providing solutions as a Parent Educator, Erica also exemplifies this through her work as a certified doula. As a doula, she serves as an advocate and provides emotional support for expectant mothers, particularly Black women who face challenges and disparities in maternal health.
Erica has been able to integrate her doula services into her work as a Parent Educator as well. In 2023, she served as a panelist at the Parents as Teachers National Conference, where she spoke to over 1,200 Early Childhood Education professionals about the vital role doulas play in supporting mothers on their maternal journey. She also brought awareness to the barriers that Black mothers face, which include having limited access to resources in maternal healthcare and the dire need for equitable access for them.
When asked about being recognized as an Equity Builder Award recipient, Erica says that not only was she surprised, but she is just doing what she was meant to do.
“Winning the award was the surprise of a lifetime. I was so surprised I almost knocked the chair down. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work, nor does it feel like you are doing something award-worthy. I am just doing what GOD called me to do and showing up for my families in the way they need me; and that has always been good enough for me.”
For more information about Parents as Teachers, please click here.
