We Must Do Better: Social Accounts That’ll Help Educate Your Family About Anti-Racism

Now more than ever, we need to teach our children about the ugly reality of systemic racism. It’s a tough topic to address, no matter your kids’ age. But there are plenty of resources, on social media and other platforms, that can help inspire a thoughtful discussion with your kids.

The Conscious Kid

Using a critical race lens, this Instagram account recommends stories about diverse characters written by authors from that same diverse group. The Conscious Kid points out that our children are never too young to learn about race, and that silence about racism reinforces it.

 

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It’s never too early to talk about race. “Adults often think they should avoid talking with young children about race or racism because doing so would cause them to notice race or make them racist. In fact, when adults are silent about race or use “colorblind” rhetoric, they actually reinforce racial prejudice in children. Starting at a very young age, children see patterns — who seems to live where; what kinds of homes they see as they ride or walk through different neighborhoods; who is the most desirable character in the movies they watch; who seems to have particular jobs or roles at the doctor’s office, at school, at the grocery store; and so on — and try to assign “rules” to explain what they see. Adults’ silence about these patterns and the structural racism that causes them, combined with the false but ubiquitous “American Dream” narrative that everyone can achieve anything that they want through hard work, results in children concluding that the patterns they see “must have been caused by meaningful inherent differences between groups.” In other words, young children infer that the racial inequities they see are natural and justified. So despite good intentions, when we fail to talk openly with our children about racial inequity in our society, we are in fact contributing to the development of their racial biases, which studies show are already in place.” (Dr. Erin Winkler, 2017) Images by @pretty_good_design, adapted from work by the Children’s Community School. #Parenting #RacialBias #TeachersOfInstagram #AntiRacist

A post shared by The Conscious Kid (@theconsciouskid) on May 28, 2020 at 12:43pm PDT

Some other great reading recommendations:

Anti-racism starts on children’s bookshelves. It takes work. It takes investment. It’s a start. Your kids won’t grow up ‘woke’ by accident. Show them that #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/lQFb3rnDIF

— Jeffrey Boakye (@unseenflirt) May 30, 2020

Check Your Privilege 

This Instagram account is currently posting a “Saturday Skool” IGTV series where an educator will teach followers about anti-racism. The account focuses on helping followers understand how actions affect the mental health of people of color through posts and its courses, podcast and book.

 

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Community! The spring cohort of Saturday Skool ends today. Let’s stay actionable together. Join myself and my sister friends for. Summer Skool, a 12-week summer IG Live series. Each day you’ll be led by an guide, coach, or educator in the anti racism space. Here are your June educators: @gabestorres will cover mental health + Psychology Dyan @simplyshining.life. is covering anti racist mindset. @ayceebrown will guide us through human design and using our aura type for action. @accordingtoweeze will tackle activism + Sociology @sincerely.lettie will move us through history @myishathill will cover the humanity of antiracism & investing in rest. Stay tuned, we launch Monday at 10am pst. Yes The replay will be located vis IGTV. Xo #liveintothework #summerschool2020 #saturdayskool

A post shared by Check Your Privilege (@ckyourprivilege) on May 30, 2020 at 4:47am PDT

Danielle Coke

Known as @ohhappydani on Instagram, this artist and activist uses her work to increase awareness and encourage action. From areas to diversify in your daily life to allyship during a crisis, her art will help educate your family.

 

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performance won’t end racism. change your heart. change your home. change humanity.

A post shared by DANIELLE COKE (@ohhappydani) on May 27, 2020 at 1:03pm PDT

Strong Black Lead

This Netflix handle promotes black talent and creators. Making sure your kids read books and watch movies and shows with diverse characters is just as important as speaking with them about racism, especially for your younger children.

 

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All of this HEAT Here’s what’s new, Black, and on Netflix this month!

A post shared by Strong Black Lead (@strongblacklead) on May 1, 2020 at 11:45am PDT

Center for Racial Justice in Education

This organization is geared toward training and empowering educators to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in schools and communities. Resources include expert advice, articles and blog posts.

Showing Up for Racial Justice

This Instagram account is a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. It also has an #EndWhiteSilence toolkit to help those ready to take action but in need of support.

 

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Ready to take action but need some support? We created an #endwhitesilence week of action toolkit. Link in this image and also our stories.

A post shared by Showing Up for Racial Justice (@showingupforracialjustice) on Jun 1, 2020 at 8:00am PDT

Equality Labs

Equality Labs is a South Asian technology group that uses community organization, art, research, digital security and more in its journey to end caste apartheid, gender-based violence, Islamaphobia, White Supremacy and religious intolerance.

I’m really looking forward to facilitating this discussion around a political framework for thinking through how South Asian communities can be in meaningful solidarity with black people✊ https://t.co/NqVWuev97r

— Zoé (@ztsamudzi) June 2, 2020

Explaining prejudice and police brutality can be hard for children to grasp. In this video (below), black parents explain to their children how they should act in the presence of the police. Watching these families talk about why they need to discuss how to interact with the police may be jarring, but it’s an important part of understanding the fears and prejudices the black community faces.

Other resources include the NPR podcast Life Kit, which has dedicated a few episodes to parenting and discussing difficult topics, including talking race with young children. The episode is only twenty minutes and also recommends this TEDx talk (below) by Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race, which explains how the things we don’t say to our children about racism impacts their ideas.

Talk to your kids about racism, no matter how old they are. For more information on anti-racism and how to raise your kids to stand up and speak out against racism, visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture and Common Sense Media, and if you’re not sure how to talk to your children about police brutality, visit Achievement First.

Talked with my kids at the dinner table about what’s going on, part of me said, c’mon they’re 4, what’s the point, but I know black parents talk to their 4-year-olds about these things because either they’ve already felt it, or they will soon #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/z6MYpTKd68

— Stephen Schueller (@steveschueller) June 1, 2020

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# anti-racism # anti-racism # anti-racism