The past few weeks have been upsetting and emotional and jarring and hopeful and inspiring. We’ve been trying to be supportive to Black team members, friends, and neighbors while wrestling with how to talk with our own kids about police violence and the protests. We’ve been learning so much, and by talking with other parents and teachers, we’ve realized that a lot of us are struggling with how to talk with our kids (and sometimes older family members) about anti-Black racism and how White people have created and maintained unfair systems of power (slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, police violence). Here are some of the resources that we found helpful:
SYSTEMIC RACISM EXPLAINED
This is a short animated video that may help start a conversation about redlining and unfair systems that perpetuate poverty and wealth inequality.
“I [STILL] CAN’T BREATHE”: SUPPORTING KIDS OF COLOR AMID RACIALIZED VIOLENCE
This is a webinar for families raising children of color who are trying to figure out how to best support and protect their children. It features a conversation with Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, whose work focuses on trauma and race.
HOW DO I MAKE SURE I’M NOT RAISING THE NEXT AMY COOPER.
This webinar is for White families to learn about raising anti-racist kids. It features a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Harvey, whose work focuses on White anti-racism.
LETTERS FOR BLACK LIVES
This collection of crowd-sourced multi-lingual letters help people talk with elders and family members, who may not speak English, about anti-Black racism.
RAISING RACE CONSCIOUS CHILDREN
This website has a lot of resources, many of which are organized in this FAQ.
ADVISE WE GOT THIS WEEK THAT WE’RE TAKING
Find 9 Black businesses in your neighborhood and beyond that you will commit to frequenting and supporting, one for each minute that officer kneeled on George Floyd’s neck.
Watch Black media, like the documentary 13th, which is now freely available on youtube.
End conversations with “and so we are…..” Sometimes, conversations about racial injustice end with sentiments like “it’s so sad” when instead we should focus on what we are doing, “and so we are protesting” or “and so we are writing to our city council members”
Show rather than Tell our children how to be supportive to Black friends and community members.
Learn more about Black history. There are a ton of resources in this docs collection.
