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Our Mission at The Learning Project:

The Learning Project’s mission is to advocate on behalf of underserved families throughout Eastern Washington. We serve as an multi-purpose educational hub for educators, childcare and health care providers. Our work advances racial justice for children, families and community through media, research, and leadership development. We raise awareness, provide solutions, and cultivate leadership for people of color and vulnerable communities who are not receiving health equity and social justice.


Health equity, the state in which everyone has equal, fair and cultural access to the highest level of health potential, lies at the nucleus of our programs. We identify health equity strategies through in-person and virtual seminars, art exhibits and ceremonies that gather Eastern Washington’s underserved communities and their advocates, inspiring any and all to become change agents and address, challenge and eradicate social issues plaguing their communities.


At The Learning Project, we center lived experiences as we build community from the ground up. We align programs and initiatives discovered through research and community feedback. With the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s findings that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy than white women, The Learning Project created the ‘Black Maternal Health Art Exhibit’ to voice Black women voicing their concerns during their birthing experiences. In 2019, The Nation’s Report Card determined that children of color’s reading proficiencies are lower than white students. In response to this study, our Hello Readers program gathers community leaders to strategize and improve student’s reading proficiency.


Our training sessions are accessible through in-person appointments and virtually obtainable through The Learning Project’s Online Learning Portal. The curriculum is set on the backdrop of the Washington Basic Child Care Training Development program, with an emphasis on early childhood education preparation.


The Learning Project is enrolled in national organizations that promote health equity and social justice including membership in the NAACP’s local Spokane chapter, Black Mamas Matter Alliance and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). We maintain membership in equity-based initiatives such as the WSU Health Equity Circle and the Washington State Hospital Association’s Birth Equity Committee. 

Stephaine Courtney - Executive Director 

Stephaine Courtney’s journey in equitable early childhood education and maternal health begins in the classroom, spending a decade as an educator and center director for nearly 15 years. With a strong background in project-based learning, Courtney also served as the Curriculum Director for The Little Scholars Early Learning Center. In this position, she developed a multicultural curriculum centered on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple intelligences, spearheading programs that considered the cultural backgrounds of all students.


Courtney accesses diverse platforms to promote health equity, zeroing in on maternal health through The Learning Project Network Podcast and the ‘Girl Get a Doula’ blog which discusses doulaship’s important role in the journey of new parenthood. Both projects were born out of Courtney’s own infertility experiences.


Courtney’s dedication to health equity doesn’t stop there; she serves on multiple community boards, including as an active member of Empire Health Foundation’s Infant and Early Childhood Education through Social Media board. Previously, Courtney provided her expertise as a home education specialist for the Fields of Diamonds House of Blessings, an organization that houses women from underserved backgrounds. Courtney’s latest community partnership is operating as a board member for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. She currently holds membership in Zero to Three, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Black Child Development Institute. She is a standing member of Mom Congress™ 2020 and Moms Rising.


Courtney possesses higher education experience as an Enrollment Advisor and Learning Coach at Southern New Hampshire University. At The University of Phoenix, Courtney specialized in enrollment of technology, health care and social services programs. She received a Masters of Science in Education from Ashford University, including a graduate certificate from Walden University’s Teaching Adults in Early Childhood Education program. Courtney received a Bachelors of Arts in English from Whitworth University. She resides in Spokane, Washington with husband Jason and their daughter Jaliyah. Her motto is “Stay curious and never stop learning” because the solutions to many problems are right in front of us.

New Documentary: Girl Get a Doula

Dear Community,

The Learning Project Network is proud to share our newest grassroots project: Black Babies Awareness Month, developed by the Equity Research Action Coalition, we will be partnering with this initiative to celebrate Black infants, families, and organizations that support this cause.

Within the Spokane Community, Black people make up about 2% of the population. A recent survey of Black community leaders and educators often felt that their work and advocacy goes unnoticed. We want to change this narrative by creating space to celebrate Black parents, Early Childhood Educators, community leaders, and other community advocates by elevating their voice and stories.

Read More...


Online Training​ Here

Link Tree

Current and Past Projects:

Grassroots Project 

Read about our project here.


Step Team Team 

Learn more about our past project.


Black Maternal Health Project 

Read and learn 


Our Past Initiatives & Programs: 

Thank you for visiting our page. Our site is currently going under construction. Please stay tuned. We will have great resources coming.

- The Learning Project Founder Stephaine Courtney M.Ed

Thank you for sponsoring and partnering with our projects!

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The Shades of Motherhood Network 


This page on our site is dedicated to all of the organizations we fiscally sponsor. You will see Shades of Motherhood included as an option for donations available now.

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