Racial Justice Intro to

for families with kids ages 6-12

Created by Nico Van Ostrand
Pay as you're able HERE.

INTENTION INSPIRED BY RESOURCES

This is a starting point, Justice in June  by Systemic Racism

an incomplete set of Autumn Gupta Explained

activities that must be contains resources for NPR Talking Race

used alongside other adults wishing to be With Young

resources. It is better allies. This Children

intended mainly for calendar was created Nicole Byer script

families who haven't in a similar spirit, with about BLM (on

had many children and families Instagram, contains

conversations about in mind. expletives)

race but are ready to Teaching Tolerance

get started.

BOOK LIST QUESTION WALL ENCOURAGEMENT

This list contains links Before you begin, create a

to read aloud videos space to keep questions that Talking about race with

on YouTube, including come up during this learning. kids is challenging and

many of the stories Answer questions you can, difficult. It might get

featured here. but acknowledge questions messy, and that's okay.

A quick search will you don't feel equipped to Use phrases like "Tell me

offer many other book answer, and questions that more about that" and

lists about race, and have no answer. Practice "how does your body feel

most of those books researching, centering while we talk about this?"

can be found at your BIPOC voices, and listening This is activism work and

local (and/or POC deeply as you seek answers you are ready for it.

owned) bookstore. together.

 MY IDENTITY WEEK 1
For each story, ask:

What did you notice about this story? How did this story make you feel?

What did this story remind you of? What is this story asking you to do?

Nico Van Ostrand | June 2020

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3

Read Thunder Boy Jr. Read I Am... (Positive Read Islandborn

Affirmations for Brown

Activity: Ask your child Boys) Activity: Share your

to create a piece of story with your child.

art with their name in Activity: Write an "I What memories do you

the middle, and to Am" poem (optional have from when you

surround it with words templates: Basic | were younger? Ask

and/or pictures that Advanced) your child to

describe some unique draw pictures of what

things about them. you describe.

DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6

Ask your child: What is your Read Be Who You Are
Activity: On the same
story? What memories do
paper and head
you have from when you Activity: Draw the outline
outline from Day 5, ask
were younger? of your child's head on a
your child to decorate
large piece of paper. Ask
the space around the
Activity: Ask your child to them to decorate the
outline with words and
draw pictures of some space inside their head
images that represent
memories they have. Put with words and images
the communities and
these pictures in a book that show who they are. (I
groups they belong to.
with the Day 3 pictures am Asian. I am someone

and read your story who likes cats. I am a

together. sister.)
 RACEWEEK 2
For each story, ask:

What did you notice about this story? How did this story make you feel?

What did this story remind you of? What is this story asking you to do?

Nico Van Ostrand | June 2020

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3

Read Let's Talk About Race
Read The Skin You Live Read Black Is Brown Is

In Tan
Activity: Ask your child to

draw a self portrait showing

Activity: Take a look at Activity: Look at family
things that are unique
your skin together. pictures together
about them. Then ask, What
What do you notice? (including extended
do you think someone would
Look closely at it, look and chosen family).
assume about you based on
at it in the sun and in What races are in your
how you look? Are any of
the dark. For this family? For this
these assumptions true? Do
activity, focus on activity, focus on
any of them hurt?
noticing and naming. noticing and naming.

DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6

Read Not My Idea Talk about it:
Read Bein' With You This
What do you think about
Way
Activity: This is a heavy this week's stories?

topic; take time to sit

Activity: This story was
with it together. Ask your Use this time to talk openly
turned into a song --
child to draw or write about race. Explore your
what is this song about?
about what they think of own race and heritage. This
Invite your child to write
this story. Give them conversation may be messy
their own song lyrics that
space to ask questions and uncomfortable, but will
celebrate the diversity of
and express their allow your child to process
the people they know.
feelings. Add to your and give them space to ask

question list as needed. questions.

 RACISM WEEK 3
For each story, ask:

What did you notice about this story? How did this story make you feel?

What did this story remind you of? What is this story asking you to do?

Nico Van Ostrand | June 2020

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3

Read Separate is Never
Read The Story of Ruby
Read Rosa Equal
Bridges

Activity: Fighting for Activity: Revisit the list

Activity: Ask your child
justice can be dangerous. of unfair rules from Day
to make a list of unfair
Talk about what Rosa 2. Who makes the rules?
rules, both from the
Parks and other protesters Who enforces them
story and from their own
risked as they fought for (makes sure people
experiences. Introduce
justice. Ask: Why do you follow them)? Find out
the concept of systemic
think people chose to together and add this
oppression.
boycott and march even information to your list,

though it was dangerous? to be used in Week 4.

DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6

Read Something Happened
Read Not Quite Snow Talk about it:
in Our Town
White

How do you feel about

Activity: Make a list: Who do
Activity: List out your the stories we've read
you know that can help
child's favorite stories this week?
when things are unfair?
together. Who is Do you feel like you
After your child has listed
represented in those have been changed
helpers they know
stories? What kinds of inside by these
personally, extend the
races, jobs, and lifestyles stories? How so?
activity by learning together
are in the stories? Focus
about local activists and
on noticing and naming.
the work they do.
 ACTIVISM WEEK 4
For each story, ask:

What did you notice about this story? How did this story make you feel?

What did this story remind you of? What is this story asking you to do?

Nico Van Ostrand | June 2020

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3

Read Mama's Nightingale
Read A is for Activist
Read Say Something

Activity: Return to the list

Activity: Go through the
Activity: Like the story of unfair rules from last
story slowly. Ask your
says, everyone has week and pick one to
child which words they've
something to say. focus on. Who made or
heard before, and pick a
What do you and your enforces this rule? Find
few to look up together
child have to say? out together, then invite
and learn more about. (Or
Make a sign to hang in your child to write a letter
use this list: Activist,
your window. to them explaining why
Culture, Grassroots,
they think the rule is
Justice, Diversity)
unfair.

DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6

Read Why Children March Activity: When people
Read Let the Children
for George Floyd learn about justice,
March,
sometimes we say they

Activity: Invite your child are "waking up." This

Activity: If you or your
to think back over the process lasts your whole
child has marched before,
past month of learning. lifetime, because there's
take a moment to share or
Ask them what they feel always more to learn. Ask
revisit that story together.
called to march for: What your child to share and/or
If you haven't marched,
causes are you draw what they started to
learn together about
passionate about? What wake up about this month,
youth-led activism in your
will you do to make the and what they hope to
area.
world a more just place? learn more about.