Greetings! We have received a considerable amount of requests for assistance, direction, and insight as communities are grappling with the racial realities that founded the United States; these realities have been continuously propagated through the country’s most powerful systems (e.g. media, school, government, etc.)
As an immediate response to the requests, we have created this working document for the compilation and organization of age-appropriate resources that facilitate constructive conversations about race with children from infancy into adolescence. When using or sharing any particular resource, please be sure to cite the respective organization or individual(s).
Additionally, Parent LAB offers a series of research- and play-based workshops that facilitate discussions on race, childhood and culture. These workshops use an anti-racist, historical lens to center and amplify Black family voices and experiences in the United States. See atlparentlikeaboss.com for more information.
BOTH
The Brown Bookshelf
The Brown Bookshelf is an online resource that promotes awareness of Black children’s book creators (including YA).
https://thebrownbookshelf.com/?fbclid=IwAR2gKSprsc_mbFl3JM5cT_Hjw7DwhwlNCPKn8M1bZNif2C0Yw1iQXgJ9r9w
The Conscious Kid
The Conscious Kid is an education, research and policy organization dedicated to reducing bias and promoting positive identity development in youth. We partner with organizations, children’s museums, schools, and families across the country to promote access to children’s books centering underrepresented and oppressed groups.
https://www.theconsciouskid.org
University of Pittsburgh P.R.I.D.E.
P.R.I.D.E. stands for Positive Racial Identity Development In Early Education. Our goals are to: help young African American children develop a positive racial identity, support teachers and parents by building their racial knowledge, and raise awareness of the impact of race on young children. P.R.I.D.E. is a program within the Office of Child Development, which is part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education.
https://www.racepride.pitt.edu
PBS Kids for Parents
Our mission is to use the power of media to open worlds of possibilities for all children, so that every child can reach their full potential in school — and in life.
“How to Talk Honestly With Children About Racism” &
“How to Use Children’s Books to Talk About Race and Racism”
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-talk-honestly-with-children-about-racism
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-use-childrens-books-to-talk-about-race-and-racism
ELEMENTARY
Raising Race Conscious Children
The primary purpose of Raising Race Conscious Children is to support parents and teachers who are trying to talk about race and diversity with young children. The goal of these conversations is to prepare young people to work toward racial justice.
“100 RACE-CONSCIOUS THINGS YOU CAN SAY TO YOUR CHILD TO ADVANCE RACIAL JUSTICE”
Sesame Street in Communities
Sesame Street in Communities builds on our almost 50-year commitment to caring for the developmental, physical, and emotional needs of children. Thoroughly researched and tested with families, these resources are proven to make a measurable difference for kids, and make your job as a parent a little bit easier.
https://sesamestreetincommunities.org
ADOLESCENCE
The Zinn Education Project
The Zinn Education Project promotes and supports the teaching of people’s history in classrooms across the country.
The 1619 Project Curriculum
The 1619 Project, inaugurated with a special issue of The New York Times Magazine, challenges us to reframe U.S. history by marking the year when the first enslaved Africans arrived on Virginia soil as our nation’s foundational date. Here you will find reading guides, activities, and other resources to bring The 1619 Project into your classroom.
https://pulitzercenter.org/lesson-plan-grouping/1619-project-curriculum
Teaching Tolerance
Our mission is to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy.
Center for Racial Justice in Education
The Center for Racial Justice in Education’s mission is to train and empower educators to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in our schools and communities. At the Center for Racial Justice in Education, we envision a world where all young people learn and thrive in racially equitable, liberating, and empowering educational spaces.
https://centerracialjustice.org
PUSHOUT Film
PUSHOUT: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF BLACK GIRLS IN SCHOOLS is a feature length documentary that takes a deep dive into the lives of Black girls and the practices, cultural beliefs and policies that disrupts one of the most important factors in girls’ lives – education.
PUSHOUT Film Discussion Guide
https://pushoutfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/pushout-discussion-guide-educators.pdf
Black Lives Matter at Black Lives Matter At 2020 Curriculum School
School is a national coalition organizing for racial justice in education.
Resource Guide
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1LGslwJwhXvpVnDgw0uC-n794l6EGzpuH