I Can Make a Difference Manual: Resources

Children Are Not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn Race (U of Wisconsin- Milwaukee)

Discuss the question of how young adults should talk to children about race. Children notice race, size, and hair color at the age of three. It’s never too young to start the talk about race. 

 

What white children need to know about race (National Association of Independent Schools)

The silence of race?? How to talk about race when there are no other people of color in your town. How adults can prepare their children to live in a world with other races. 

 

Even Babies Discriminate: A NurtureShock Excerpt. (Newsweek) 

White parents are not comfortable pointing out the differences in color when talking to their children.
Children need to understand that it’s ok to say black/white. 

 

Teaching Your Child About Black History (PBS)

We all know who Dr. Martin Luther King is, but it’s time for adults to teach children about other famous black people. Learn how to easily explain the history of Black people in America and what your child’s library may have to support that. 

 

How to Talk to Kids About Race (Brightly)

Brightly’s mission is to connect parents with great books for kids, and this handy article focuses on books about race for all ages, from picture books to young adult books.

 

How to talk to kids about racism: An age-by-age guide (Today’s Parent)

Explaining racism to children can be difficult for parents. This is an age-by age guide to help parents talk about race. 

 

Talking to children after racial incidents (UPenn)

How adults can talk to children about peaceful protests that turn violent, killings that are seen on TV.  How to reduce their negative effects on the health and well being of children.  

 

Talking to Kids About Racial Violence (NYT)

This New York Times article by Haig Chahinian offers eight tips for discussing racial violence with children of all ages.

 

George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What do we tell our children? (USA Today)

An article that helps parents inform their kids and help answer their child’s questions about police brutality. 

 

Children aren't born racist. Here's how parents can stop them from becoming racist. (CNN)

An interview that details when, how, and why young children detect race and provides information on how to avoid raising a racially insensitive child. 

 

Teaching About Race, Racism, and Police Violence (Tolerance.org)

A site full of links to articles that provide parents and teachers with information on how to teach about tolerance and bias. 

 

Listening Circle on George Floyd (Morningside Center)

How to open a discussion with children on the death of George Floyd, as well as providing information on how to make sure everyone’s thoughts are heard. 

 

Teaching Young Children About Race (Teaching for Change)

How to provide your child with an anti-bias education as well as promoting critical thinking and respectful relationships. 

 

Tips for Parents on Media Coverage of a Stabbing: (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

Gives information to parents and caregivers about media coverage following a stabbing. This tip sheet describes what parents can do to help their children, media exposure after events, and talks about what it is like when a family is a part of the story. 

 

100 Things You Can Say to Your Child to Advance Racial Justice (Race Conscious)

In honor of Raising Race Conscious Children’s 100th post, this list lifts a quote from each and every blog post to date, modeling language that has actually been used in a conversation with a child regarding race (and other identity-markers such as gender and class). 

 

Anti-Racism Books for Kids: (New York Times)

An article that discusses how to speak with kids about the current racial issues and also provides a book list of ownvoices books. 

 

How to Talk to Children about Juneteenth: (University of Pittsburgh)

How to discuss the history of Juneteenth with children. 

 

Crucial Conversations: It’s Never Too Early To Talk About Race: (School Library Journal)

An article that discusses the importance of starting to talk about race at a young age and not teaching 

colorblindness. 

 

Author shares her message for her multiracial kids (Today)

The 'How to Raise an Adult' author shares her message for her multiracial kids. When one child "looks white" and the other "looks Black," you have a different set of challenges as a parent.

Race Works Tool Kit (Stanford University)

Race Works is a six step guide with six videos on how to talk about race and culture. The videos are very good and do a good job at explaining culture and racism in our society.

 

Raising a Brave Generation (Embrace Race)

This website collects articles, webinars, action guides, stories and more to help parents discuss race with their children.

 

Raising Race Conscious Children (Race Conscious)

This blog and accompanying podcast is dedicated to providing parents with resources for talking about race with young children. Blogger Sachi Feris is a sociologist, educator, and mother of three.

 

Passport to Peoplehood for Families: (Global Jews)

Passport to Peoplehood educational resources explore the history and traditions of Jewish communities around the world and celebrate the fact that Jews are a multicultural people. The resources collected on this page are perfect for families and children to use at home. 

 

Teachers reinventing how Black history, anti-racism are taught, as system falls short (GMA)

The fight to have Black history be centralized in textbooks and anti-racism be a new focus in schools.

How to Not (Accidentally) Raise a Racist (The Longest Shortest Time)

A great podcast for adults where a white mother married a black man raising two children in America. How to handle the discomfort that people have with other people when it comes to discussing race. Parents call in and asking questions about their children's questions about race. 

 

Talking to Children About Race and Ethnicity (University of Washington)

This series of audio clips and slides from the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences gives a brief overview of the importance of talking to children about race. Check out the rest of their modules as well in the “Racing” Towards Equality series.

 

How parents can help kids understand the protests and fight racism (GMA)

How to have honest open conversations with your children about race. Pointing out color blind does not work.

 

How I Teach Kids About Racism (Kindergarten and 1st Grade) (Naomi O'Brien)

Two teachers collaborated and wrote a lesson plan on how to teach about racism for all childred using the book Chocolate Me by Taye Diggs.

 

Supporting Kids of Color in the Wake of Racialized Violence (EmbraceRace)

A podcast discussing how adults can best support kids of color, help children feel safe without overpromising or making them fearful, and how to teach them to approach the world with love and without feeling targeted. 

 

How to Have a Conversation About Race.  (The Atlantic)

Talking to children about race needs to happen early,often and honestly.

 

Talking Race With Young Children: (NPR)

A 20 minute audio that helps parents handle conversations about race, racism, diversity and inclusion, even with very young children. 

 

Kids Speak Their Minds About Race: (CNN)

In part two of Anderson Cooper's special report, kids give honest feedback on racial and social issues. 

 

Amanda Gorman’s Biden Inauguration Poem (YouTube)

Amanda Gorman recited her poem at President Biden’s inauguration ceremony outside the U.S. Capitol. The 22-year-old is the first National Youth Poet Laureate and the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration.

 

Teaching #BlackLivesMatter (Teaching for Change)

This website educates parents on the history of the Black Lives Matter movement as well as providing resources on how to teach about the movement to students.

 

Looking for Excellent “Diverse” Books for Children? Start Here! (Embrace Race)

This website provides a list of other children’s book sites and blogs that provides diverse books as well as books on how to create an anti-bias book collection.

 

Talking About Race, Racism and Racialized Violence With Kids (Center for Racial Justice)

This is a website full of resources that provide parents with information on how to discuss things like racism, the 2016 election, and police violence with children.

 

Talking with Children about Race and Racism (Catskill Wheelhouse)

This website discusses how parents can talk to their children about race and racism and provides helpful resources to educate themselves as well.

 

Teaching Young Children about Race (Social Justice Books)

Provides practical guidance to early childhood educators (including parents) for confronting barriers of prejudice, misinformation, and bias about specific aspects of personal and social identity and includes tips for adults and children to respect each other, themselves, and all people.

 

The Talk: Race in America (PBS)

This two-hour documentary is about the increasingly common conversation taking place in homes and communities across the country between parents of color and their children, especially sons, about how to behave if they are ever stopped by the police.

 

How to Talk to Your Kids About Racism (NY Metro Parents)

It’s never too early to start the conversation. Experts are here with tips and strategies for talking about race, racism, and current events with your kids.

 

How to Make Black Lives Matter at School, Ep. 253 (NYPL)

Despite the fact that New York City is one of the most diverse places in the country, our school system is among the most segregated. Brian Jones organized a panel about this issue and how to challenge structural racism in schools. 

 

Chasing the Dream (YouTube)

NY Emmy and Webby nominated cross-platform public media initiative from WNET in New York reporting the human stories of income inequality, poverty, and opportunity-- and showcasing innovative solutions. 

 

Sesame Workshop Identity Matters Study (Sesame Workshop)

The importance of children seeing characteristics like their race, gender, and religion in a positive light, to give them a pathway to success in school and in life—and research shows that valuing their own identities helps children grow into more confident and accepting adolescents and adults.

 

Multiracial in America Proud, Diverse and Growing in Numbers (Pew Research Center)

Multiracial Americans are at the cutting edge of social and demographic change in the U.S.—young, proud, tolerant and growing at a rate three times as fast as the population as a whole.

 

Racial bias may begin in babies at six months (University of Toronto News) 

U of T Professor Kang Lee says two of his recent studies indicate that racial bias may arise in babies as young as six to nine months of age. Lee, a professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, says that lack of exposure to other races may be the cause.