When one of us loses a child, all of us feel that hurt; vicarious trauma is an integral aspect of Black motherhood.
— A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, writing for Vox
The global pandemic has likely forced a more shared experience than our society has known in modern history. For the first time in at least a century, each of us has a firsthand experience with the shifts in our existence caused by the COVID-19 public health crisis. This includes those of us who work, who have had to reconfigure our work-life balance in an environment that places these formerly-distinct entities (often too) close together. This also includes those of us who are parents, many of whom are navigating the competing demands of having two bosses now— their supervisors and their children.
Since the nation has convened in an unprecedented way in response to the recent affronts to Black humanity, many parents are continuing, revisiting, or realizing something for the first time. Along with meeting our tiny bosses’ physiological, mental, and emotional needs during this time, our kids need to hear and learn about anti-racism. This is a big ask, and is undoubtedly overwhelming. Indeed, many of us as adults have difficulty talking about racism, despite the fact that we know it exists and persists. To that end, many people and organizations are sharing helpful resources to guide children and their parents through the process of cultivating an anti-racism mindset, and unlearning systemic rhetoric that has undermined that goal.
“I am reaching to the strength in Afro-American heritage. I am learning more about the heritage and history of Afro-American culture. Knowledge = strength and strength = power.”
— quoted in Beverly Daniel Tatum’s Talking about Race, Learning about Racism: The Application of Racial Identity Development Theory in the Classroom
Here you’ll find links to many of these resources, including children’s books and Google docs with a wealth of information on your journey to educate the children in your life on social justice issues. Be sure to vet them for yourself, and pace yourself to make the educational process meaningful. Write yourself an outline or calendar of what you’ll try to cover, to avoid burnout and overwhelm. Most importantly, remember that education is a process, and must be continuous. Please check back as this list grows.
Special thanks to Brittany Howard Gilmore and Unique Brathwaite of the Community Resource Exchange for compiling and distributing many of these resources.
Google Docs:
Talking to Kids About Police Brutality: A Community Resource List
Talking to Young Children about the Principles of the Black Lives Matter movement
From the Center for Racial Justice in Education, compiled by Border Crossers
RESOURCE GUIDES:
Listen, Learn, and Participate: a #BlackLivesMatter Resource Series from the Oakland Public Library
Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Racism, Pretty Good Design
Social Justice Resource Guide from the Children’s Community School
Anti-Racism Resources for allies seeking to deepen their work on the issues
WEBSITES:
The Center for Racial Justice in Education
Children’s Community School: Social Justice Resources
A WORD ON BOOKS:
Support LOCAL bookstores by searching and shopping for these titles on Bookshop.org . Where feasible, I provide a link to Bookshop.org retailers as well as a link to buy on Amazon via Amazon Smile. If purchasing on Amazon through the link, Amazon will donate directly to the organization I’ve selected (the Center for Racial Justice in Education).
BOOK LISTS:
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards - List of All Winners Since 1970
The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature recognize diverse authors (or co-authors) whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.
A wonderful Twitter thread on children’s books by Brittany Smith, M.Ed.
Elementary School Book List, with a helpful calendar
Confronting Racism: A Bibliography
Great Books for Teens by African-American Authors
The @DiverseReads Instagram page, curated by Vera at the Tutu Teacher
The HereWeeRead Instagram page, curated by Charnaie of Here Wee Read
BOOKS (PRESCHOOL):
A is for Activist, Innosanto Nagara (or here via Amazon Smile)
All the Colors We Are : a more clinical celebratory book for children on how skin gets its color. (also here via Amazon Smile)
I like Myself (or here via Amazon Smile)
Hair Love (or here via Amazon Smile)
We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices (here on Amazon Smile)
BOOKS (ELEMENTARY):
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down (also here on Amazon Smile)
Henry’s Freedom Box (also here on Amazon Smile)
Let’s Talk About Race (also here on Amazon Smile)
A Sweet Smell of Roses (also here on Amazon Smile)
Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells (linked here with a Teacher’s Guide) (also here on Amazon Smile)
Astro Girl (also here on Amazon Smile)
BOOKS (YOUNG ADULT):
Howard Zinn, a Young People’s History of the United States - available to order through the Zinn Education Project, or here on Amazon Smile
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning (or here on Amazon Smile). This is a young adult adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning (available via Bookshop or Amazon Smile)
Punching the Air (here on Amazon Smile)
Say Her Name: Poems to Empower (here on Amazon Smile)
Riot. Baby (here on Amazon Smile)
Harbor Me (here on Amazon Smile)
Dear Martin (here on Amazon Smile)
Ghost (here on Amazon Smile) : part of the Track Series
Monster (here on Amazon Smile)
Children of Blood and Bone (here on Amazon Smile)
Brown Girl Dreaming (here on Amazon Smile)
Bud, Not Buddy (here on Amazon Smile)
Copper Sun (here on Amazon Smile)
Tears of a Tiger (here on Amazon Smile)
Just Mercy (here on Amazon Smile)
Anger is a Gift (here on Amazon Smile)
The Hate U Give (here on Amazon Smile)