Written by Kimberly N. Parker, PhD. assistant director of the Shady Hill Teacher Training Center (MA), and Tricia Ebarvia, teacher and department chair at Conestoga High School (PA), and co-chair at the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy. Kim and Tricia are cofounders of #DisruptTexts (disrupttexts.org/)
Ongoing events have led many of us to reexamine issues of racial equity and justice. Because parents and caregivers are their child’s first teacher, they are on the frontlines, often fielding questions from their children about race, antiracism, and related issues that require thoughtful responses. If we want to raise antiracist children, we have to start talking to them about racism and how to be antiracist.
Books are powerful entry points into conversations with young people, especially books that help them understand how the present moment reflects history and how considering experiences beyond our own helps us develop an equitable foundation.
The first of two guides* and the books therein are grouped thematically for adults (parents, caregivers and educators) and are framed by essential questions and conversation starters to guide discussion with fellow teachers, co-workers, and family members.
View and download the Racial Equity and Justice Guide (Adult) here.
You may find a complete listing of the books in both Race Equity and Justice Guides in one collection here.
*A guide for having discussions with children is forthcoming and will follow the same format of essential questions and conversation starters.
