As we continue our Season of Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation, I saw this from NPR:
Even babies notice differences like skin color, eye shape and hair texture. Here's how to handle conversations about race, racism, diversity and inclusion, even with very young children. A few things to remember:
In addition to Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president for Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, we spoke to Beverly Daniel Tatum: We recommend her TEDx talk as well as her book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race.
- Don't shush or shut them down if they mention race.
- Don't wait for kids to bring it up.
- Be proactive, helping them build a positive awareness of diversity.
- When a child experiences prejudice, grown-ups need to both address the feelings and fight the prejudices.
- You don't have to avoid topics like slavery or the Holocaust. Instead, give the facts and focus on resistance and allies.
From: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/06/691961968/talking-race-with-young-children
Additional Resources:
- Babies begin to notice race at 6 months old — in fact, according to this pair of studies by Professor Kang Lee at the University of Toronto, they actually show signs of racial bias by this age.
- One in 10 children is multiracial — according to Pew Research Center. This includes children with parents of two different races, plus those with at least one multiracial parent.
- Watch the whole "I Love My Hair!" video from Sesame Street.
- Thanks to Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton. Derrick Gay, and Jinnie Spiegel of the Anti-Defamation League, which has a wide range of resources for anti-bias education.
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