Suggested Resources for Families
Compiled by SURJ Bay Area Youth and Families Committee
youthandfamilies@surjbayarea.org
Below are some of our favorite resources for having honest, age-appropriate conversations with kids about race, systemic racism, and police brutality. There are of course many, many more resources available online -- do your own research, be curious and open to new ideas, and follow and listen to the voices of BIPOC writers and educators. Remember to pay for your education wherever you can.
Interrupting White Supremacy at the Root - Part 1 (Webinar)Resources for Talking With Kids About Racial Justice
Recordings of “We Keep Us Safe” Teach-Ins for parents and kids, led by Abundant Beginnings and Movement Generation
Talking with Kids About Police Brutality: An Community Resource List by the The Intergalactic Conspiracy of Childcare Collectives (A living document with many resources, including videos, podcasts, articles and more for Black, non-Black POC, and white caregivers.)
A White Families’ Guide for Talking About Racism by Education With An Apron (Written by two Black educators, this resource has questions and discussion prompts for having honest conversations about racism, white supremacy culture, and how to be an ally/accomplice. Note that this is a paid download -- it’s well worth it!)
16 Ways to Help Children Become Thoughtful, Informed, and Brave About Race from EmbraceRace (Quick guide with suggestions for getting started on talking with your kids about race and doing your own work to understand your own biases and privileges.)
How to Talk to Kids About Race from The Conscious Kid (Helpful framing for the urgent need to have discussions with kids of all ages about race.)
Ending Police Brutality Family Action Toolkit from Raising Luminaries (Toolkit with activities for families such as letter writing and poetry writing, aimed at preschool/elementary age. Includes conversation suggestions and a glossary.)
Raising Race Conscious Children (Blog and podcast with resources for talking about race with young children)
Talking with Kids About Race from PBS Kids (Resources such as videos and book lists for young children and their caregivers.)
The Talk: Race in America (PBS documentary about the conversation taking place in homes across the country between parents of color and their children about how to behave if they are stopped by the police. Recommended for watching and discussing with teens.)
Zinn Education Project (People’s history resources for middle/high school youth)
1619 Project Curriculum to accompany The 1619 Project (Suggested lesson plans and reading guides for middle and high school students -- and adults.)
Children’s Books and Book ListsWhen selecting books, look for #ownvoices authors and choose books by authors of color whenever you can. Buy books from and support BIPOC authors and bookstores.
Teaching For Change
Black Lives Matter Instructional Library (books for preschool-elementary with links to read-aloud videos)
The Conscious Kid: Book Lists (a great place to start for thoughtful selections of beautiful picture books addressing race, racism, and resistance)
The Brown Bookshelf: Book Lists (includes book lists for all ages, including YA)
The Bullhorn (website by activist children’s book authors with many author interviews, guest blog posts, and book spotlights)
American Indians in Children’s Literature (blog with in-depth analysis of Indigenous representation in children’s books, also includes book lists and recommended/not recommended titles)
Books for Littles/Raising Luminaries (thoughtfully researched book lists on a variety of topics, including the Anti-Racism 101 book list linked here)
Peace Library (book lists for young children, organized around topics in the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s book Anti-bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves)
Reading While White (blog from a group of white librarians organizing to confront racial bias in childrens’ books -- note their list of folks of color to read first, before you read them)
Jambo Books (Black-owned subscription book club that sends you two books a month featuring characters of color, with options from babies to tweens)
Suggested Reading for Adults
It’s Time For White Folks to Dismantle the Master’s House (Article by S. Rae Peoples)
How To Join the Conversation on Race (Interview with Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race)
What Is Owed (Article by Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of The 1619 project)
a word for white people in two parts (Article by Adrienne Maree Brown, author of Emergent Strategy)
How Do I Make Sure I’m Not Raising the Next Amy Cooper? (EmbraceRace discussion with Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids)
The Top 5 Reasons Well-Meaning White Parents Do Not Discuss Race with their White Children (Article from A Striving Parent that addresses and refutes common worries about raising racial topics with kids)
Justice in June (Antiracist reading list organized by the amount of time you have to spend)
SURJ Defund the Police Toolkit (overview of the ongoing BIPOC-led movement to defund the police)
youthandfamilies@surjbayarea.org
Below are some of our favorite resources for having honest, age-appropriate conversations with kids about race, systemic racism, and police brutality. There are of course many, many more resources available online -- do your own research, be curious and open to new ideas, and follow and listen to the voices of BIPOC writers and educators. Remember to pay for your education wherever you can.
Interrupting White Supremacy at the Root - Part 1 (Webinar)Resources for Talking With Kids About Racial Justice
Recordings of “We Keep Us Safe” Teach-Ins for parents and kids, led by Abundant Beginnings and Movement Generation
- Parent-to-Parent Teach In
- Kids Ages 1-3
- Kids Ages 3-5
- Kids Ages 5-7
- Kids Ages 7-9
- Kids Ages 9-13
Talking with Kids About Police Brutality: An Community Resource List by the The Intergalactic Conspiracy of Childcare Collectives (A living document with many resources, including videos, podcasts, articles and more for Black, non-Black POC, and white caregivers.)
A White Families’ Guide for Talking About Racism by Education With An Apron (Written by two Black educators, this resource has questions and discussion prompts for having honest conversations about racism, white supremacy culture, and how to be an ally/accomplice. Note that this is a paid download -- it’s well worth it!)
16 Ways to Help Children Become Thoughtful, Informed, and Brave About Race from EmbraceRace (Quick guide with suggestions for getting started on talking with your kids about race and doing your own work to understand your own biases and privileges.)
How to Talk to Kids About Race from The Conscious Kid (Helpful framing for the urgent need to have discussions with kids of all ages about race.)
Ending Police Brutality Family Action Toolkit from Raising Luminaries (Toolkit with activities for families such as letter writing and poetry writing, aimed at preschool/elementary age. Includes conversation suggestions and a glossary.)
Raising Race Conscious Children (Blog and podcast with resources for talking about race with young children)
Talking with Kids About Race from PBS Kids (Resources such as videos and book lists for young children and their caregivers.)
The Talk: Race in America (PBS documentary about the conversation taking place in homes across the country between parents of color and their children about how to behave if they are stopped by the police. Recommended for watching and discussing with teens.)
Zinn Education Project (People’s history resources for middle/high school youth)
1619 Project Curriculum to accompany The 1619 Project (Suggested lesson plans and reading guides for middle and high school students -- and adults.)
Children’s Books and Book ListsWhen selecting books, look for #ownvoices authors and choose books by authors of color whenever you can. Buy books from and support BIPOC authors and bookstores.
Teaching For Change
- A Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books
- Freedom Reads: Anti-Bias Book Talk Series
- Social Justice Books
Black Lives Matter Instructional Library (books for preschool-elementary with links to read-aloud videos)
The Conscious Kid: Book Lists (a great place to start for thoughtful selections of beautiful picture books addressing race, racism, and resistance)
The Brown Bookshelf: Book Lists (includes book lists for all ages, including YA)
The Bullhorn (website by activist children’s book authors with many author interviews, guest blog posts, and book spotlights)
American Indians in Children’s Literature (blog with in-depth analysis of Indigenous representation in children’s books, also includes book lists and recommended/not recommended titles)
Books for Littles/Raising Luminaries (thoughtfully researched book lists on a variety of topics, including the Anti-Racism 101 book list linked here)
Peace Library (book lists for young children, organized around topics in the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s book Anti-bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves)
Reading While White (blog from a group of white librarians organizing to confront racial bias in childrens’ books -- note their list of folks of color to read first, before you read them)
Jambo Books (Black-owned subscription book club that sends you two books a month featuring characters of color, with options from babies to tweens)
Suggested Reading for Adults
It’s Time For White Folks to Dismantle the Master’s House (Article by S. Rae Peoples)
How To Join the Conversation on Race (Interview with Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race)
What Is Owed (Article by Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of The 1619 project)
a word for white people in two parts (Article by Adrienne Maree Brown, author of Emergent Strategy)
How Do I Make Sure I’m Not Raising the Next Amy Cooper? (EmbraceRace discussion with Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids)
The Top 5 Reasons Well-Meaning White Parents Do Not Discuss Race with their White Children (Article from A Striving Parent that addresses and refutes common worries about raising racial topics with kids)
Justice in June (Antiracist reading list organized by the amount of time you have to spend)
SURJ Defund the Police Toolkit (overview of the ongoing BIPOC-led movement to defund the police)