Change: Anti-Racism Resources for Kids, Families, and Educators

Do you remember the first conversation you had about race? Do you remember who it was with? How old you were? What set it in motion?

Earlier this month I ran across the Ted Talk below, given by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum. She’s an amazingly talented speaker and even though I could listen to her for hours, she manages to clearly address a complex topic with humor, humanity, and eloquence in just under 14 minutes. Now that’s a gift.

If you’re here looking for ways to navigate the crucial, but sometimes uncomfortable discussions about race with your kids, I think Dr. Tatum’s own conversations offer such a kind and caring, real place to begin. And she gets right to the point. The important thing? Have the conversations.

“In this moment, our silence will not help us. We have to have conversations. The way forward to changing our future is with a conversation. Sometimes even a conversation with a 3-year-old.”
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum

Whether you’re an individual looking to learn more, a parent on the search for hands-on anti-racism learning activities, or a teacher looking to foster a classroom environment that encourages healthy race-positive discussions – there’s something among these resources that will help you start the conversation.

You’ll also find some tools here to encourage activism in your kids, because learning to speak up for ourselves and each other is another important piece of the discussion too.

Use these quick links to jump directly to a specific resource collection

General Anti-Racism Resources (some places to begin)
Anti-Racism Resources for Kids
Resources for Families
Resources for Educators

I am still learning how to use barley & birch as a tool to combat systemic racism. Rather than using this link list to find a “one-and-done” activity, I hope you think of this post as I do: a start. I hope you find wisdom, optimism, and encouragement in these materials, as I have. Fighting racism and oppression – continuing these conversations – is a life-long habit we can work on together.

A anti-racist resource list for families looking for a place to begin. | via barley & birch

General Anti-Racism Resources (some places to begin…)

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I can’t guarantee these are the best places for YOU personally to start. What I can tell you is that, as a middle-aged white woman walking this life-long path of learning myself, these are all links that I’ve found helpful, informative, impactful, or necessary. These “places to begin” are intended to be just that – a beginning.

Articles and Interactive Stories

The 1619 Project created by Nikole Hannah-Jones for The New York Times
Why is this Happening from 100yearhoodie
8 Big Lies History Books Tell About Natives from Indian Country Today
Talking With Children About Racism, Police Brutality, and Protests from community activist Kenneth Braswell
How W. Kamau Bell Talks About Race With His Kids an interview from BuzzFeed News
The Dos and Dont’s of Talking to Kids of Color About White Supremacy from ColorLines
100 Race-Conscious Things you Can Say to your Child to Advance Racial Justice from Raising Race Conscious Children
How to Talk to Kids About Race from The Conscious Kid
How to Talk Honestly With Children About Racism from PBS
These Teens and 20-Somethings Are Organizing The Civil Rights Movement That Will Change Our Country from MTV

Books

An Anti-Racist Reading List by Ibram X. Kendi
The Anti-Racist Book List from Brain Lair Books
Native Studies Book Collection from Birchbark Books
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Books and Articles written by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum

Podcasts

Uncivil a podcast from Gimlet Media
This Land from Crooked Media
The Seeing White Podcast from Scene on Radio
Nice White Parents Podcast from The New York Times
Running from COPS from Topic

Movies, Documentaries, and Series

13th and When They See Us directed by Ava DuVernay
I Am Not Your Negro directed by Raoul Peck, based on James Baldwin‘s unfinished manuscript Remember This House
Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas (HBO)
United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (CNN)
Reel Injun directed by Neil Diamond
Slavery by Another Name presented by PBS
Jim Crow of the North presented by Twin Cities PBS
Black Is…Black Ain’t directed by Marlon Riggs (if your library partners with Kanopy you can watch it free with a library card)
Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland
Do the Right Thing directed by Spike Lee

Taking Family Action

Courageous Conversation from Pacific Educational Group
Social Justice Resources from The Children’s Community School
The Guide to Allyship from Amelie Lamont
Anti-Bias Education Resources from The Anti-Defamation League
Woke Homeschooling from Delina Pryce McPhaull
Address and take action against offensive native mascots
Shop We Buy Black or download the Official Black Wall Street App
Shop Tribally Owned Cultural Center & Museum Shops and use the Indian Arts and Crafts Board‘s List to find Native-owned businesses by state
Embrace Race
Find resources to encourage your kids’ interest in activism from Abundant Beginnings
Racial Justice Resources from Rachel Ricketts
Learning for Justice
Color of Change
Sign up for the Hope and Hard Pills Newsletter from Andre Henry
Join and support the Black Lives Matter Global Network
March (with masks!)

A list of anti-racist and diversity learning resources made just for kids | via barley & birch

Anti-Racism Resources for Kids

All of the anti-racist learning activities, printables, and programming listed in this collection have been created specifically for children, and are wonderful ways to start critical conversations.

Our Free Printable Paper People Templates and our DIY Multicultural Peg People
20+ Anti-Racism Activities for Kids from Happy Toddler Playtime
Raising Little Allies-To-Be (A Free Printable Activity Booklet) by Lucy Song from Wander + Wonder Studio
Socially and Race-Conscious Education Activities for Kids and Families from Revolutionary Humans
Free Bookish Printables with Diverse Characters from Here Wee Read
Oscar-Winning Animated Short Hair Love from Matthew Cherry
The Woke Read Aloud Series on YouTube from Woke Kindergarten
Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (Netflix)
So Get Me a podcast from The Alphabet Rockers
Multicultural Crayon Kits, Colored Pencils, and Sketchbooks from The More Than Peach Project
Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism presented by Sesame Street and CNN
Daniel Tiger’s Alike & Different Learning Series from PBS
Racial Justice Action Initiatives for Kids from DoSomething.org

Diversify your Kids’ Bookshelves

Curate your own collection of diverse books for young readers of any age and skill level by visiting one of these fantastic sites!

We Need Diverse Books
Here Wee Read
Social Justice Books
The Children’s Book Collection from Birchbark Books
The Brown Bookshelf
Books For Diversity
Brave + Kind Bookshop
The We Read Too App

Anti-Racism Resources for Families

Anti-racist education starts at home – with ourselves, our families, and our friends. These links all provide ways we can grow through learning and begin taking productive action within our own households.

The POC Families’ Guide to Talking About Racism from Education with an Apron
The White Families’ Guide to Talking About Racism from Education with an Apron
One Talk at a Time Video and Handout Series from Camino Lab
A guide to starting anti-racist conversations with friends and family from DoSomething.org
Bold Conversations from Color of Change
What White Children Need to Know About Race from National Association of Independent Schools
#TalkAbout Trayvon: A Toolkit for White People from Black Lives Matter
Things To Keep In Mind Traveling On Native Lands In America for Native Women’s Wilderness
Detour Spotting for White Anti-Racists from Cultural Bridges to Justice

A list of anti-racist and diversity learning resources for educators | via barley & birch

Anti-Racism Resources for Educators

A collection of links for all kinds of teachers. This list provides a wealth of information and lesson plans to learn from, appreciate, and use – regardless of your educational setting.