Race. Not an easy topic.
Walls shot up immediately. Emotions high.
How can we talk about race in our families? Do just that… Talk. Learn. Listen. We would do well to humble ourselves and open up dialogue. Expose our kids to people from different parts of world, different cultures, different skin colors. Our lives grow wider and richer. Help them remember history and why hurt remain for cultures and groups of people. Listen.
Discussion Starters:
Help Your Family Go Deeper:
- What is privilege?
- Are there certain groups with advantages or disadvantages?
- Why do you think race is such an uncomfortable conversation?
- How can we do more listening?
- Can prejudices go both ways?
- Are some places or activities still very much segregated?
- How are race and class connected?
- How would it feel to carry a history of slavery as a people?
- When you are judged on appearance how does it feel?
- How do different cultures deepen our lives?
- How can you respect people even when they don’t do things the same as you do?
- What is a stereotype? How easy is it to move beyond a stereotype?
- Do we tend to lump people together in groups without sifting out their unique qualities?
- How often do you describe someone by their race or culture?
- How often do you see people with different skin colors in television, movies, books?
- How can you expand your global consciousness?
- How honest are we about history? Are we honest about how that effects present day? Are we honest that we still have a long way to go?
- If God created us all equally, should anyone be treated differently because of the color of their skin? or where they came from?
- Is race a challenge everywhere in the world? Are there inequalities everywhere in the world?
Kids books about Diversity and Race
Lee and Low Books (a multi cultural publisher)
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester
What We Wear by Maya Ajmera
Delivering Justice by Jim Haskins
Same Same but Different by: Jenni Sue Koseckti-Shaw
I Lay My Stitches Down by: Cynthia Grady
21 Ways to Take Action
- Take the Turn the Tables Quiz about how much you know about racial inequality in the United States.
- Look at what school lunches look like in 20 countries around the world.
- Participate in “The Sneetches” (by Dr. Suess) activity.
- Read about Schools around the World.
- 40 Maps that explain the world from the Washington Post.
- Help your school try a mix it up lunch day.
- Try this working against assumptions activity from Scholastic.
- Over 100 lesson plans from Race Bridges for schools.
- Over 100 activities from Teacher Vision on diversity.
- Check out Teaching a People’s History by the Zinn Education Project.
- Learn about heritage months through Smithsonian Education.
- Explore the website of Lee and Low Books a multicultural publishing company.
- Lee and Low also has extensive Pinterest boards.
- Watch the World is as Big or Small as you Make it.
- Visit the excellent website Kids World Citizen to explore cultures around the world.
- Check out Faces Magazine from your local library about kids all over the world.
- Use global events like the Olympics or The World Cup to start conversations.
- Resources to celebrate Black History Month.
- Resources for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month.
- Resources for Native Americans and American Indians.
A Twitter Race list to follow.
Follow our About Proximity #TalkJustice Pinterest Board.
#TalkJustice Summer Serve Play Groups! Come over to our Facebook Event Page to learn more. Invite friends! We will be exploring topics and making a difference in community, using a series of books donated to us from CitizenKid. Hosted by About Proximity (that’s me) and my Mom, a public school family advocate for two decades.
How can we listen more and talk less?
