7.6: Age Appropriate Anti-Racism

My dear friends, we have been on this anti-racism journey together for 3 years, and it’s AMAZING to think about the growth we’ve gone through together.  Over the course of more than 100 episodes, we’ve gone from talking about the basic building blocks to more in-depth conversations. And just like we as adults have worked to build up our own understanding of anti-racism, we need to do that for our kiddos too — and we need to do it in a way that is developmentally appropriate. These conversations need to be happening while our kiddos are young, but that doesn’t mean we need to have them drinking out of the fire hose — we need to see where they are and present the concepts in a way that is appropriate for their current understanding, using their language. So how do you do that? We’re here to help! In this episode, you’ll learn: Why we need to be having these conversations and providing the building blocks to our young kiddos. The 4 goals of anti-bias education and how they apply differently to different age groups. More about our two at-home anti-racist education programs — Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr. — and how each can help you creat an anti-racist family culture.   Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr. Registration is now open for both Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr.! Parents have been asking for a practical, interactive way to implement the anti-racist strategies that I lay out in the First Name Basis Podcast, so I created Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr.  Ally Elementary is geared toward third-eighth graders, while Ally Elementary Jr. is for the smaller allies in our lives who are in preschool-second grade. During these programs, parents will work together with their children to create a culture of anti-racism in their home. We will use hands-on activities to teach our children about everything from the untold story of how race was created to how they can disrupt racism in their everyday lives to how they can learn more about their individual identity and culture. I am so excited to watch the families in our community make a meaningful transformation and improve their communities through anti-racist action. Registration closes September 30, so don’t miss your chance. Head over to firstnamebasis.org/sneakpeek for a look inside the programs and to receive a coupon code straight to your inbox! Click here to join the waitlist for Ally Elementary (for third-eighth graders)  Click here to join the waitlist for Ally Elementary Jr. (for preschool-second graders) Articles, Studies & Podcasts Referenced in the Episode First Name Basis Podcast, Season 5, Episode 9: “Don't Wait Until Something Bad Happens To Talk To Your Kids About Race with Dr. Lucretia Berry” “Conversations With Kids About Race” by Margaret A. “Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves” by Louise Derman-Sparks & Julie Olsen Edwards   Song Credit: “Sleeper” by Steve Adams” and “Dive Down” by VYEN