A California advocacy group, Black Californians United for Early Care & Education (BlackECE), is campaigning for the state's preschools to formally recognise and support the use of Black English — also known as African American English (AAE) or African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Supporters argue that treating the dialect as a legitimate, rule-based language will help to "combat harmful language hierarchies" and prevent young Black children from feeling that the way they speak at home is inferior or unacceptable.

The campaign's co-founder, Dr Ashley Williams, told PBS the issue is personal, recalling that she grew up being told her home speech was not acceptable at school and felt ashamed as a result. She says she does not want her two-year-old son to have the same experience. The group has trained educators to support Black English speakers in much the same way they support dual-language or bilingual learners, and draws on dedicated teaching resources to do so.