“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
― Arundhati Roy
Black Lives Matter
Racial Justice in Early Childhood Education
Introductions
Why are you here?
What is your self-interest in ending anti-Black racism?
How are you feeling?
Goals
A deeper understanding of white supremacy culture and a taste of what it might feel like to organize using alternative norms
Clear definitions of race, racism, ethnicity, prejudice, equality and equity
Concrete next steps for supporting the 2019 Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action
Agenda
Community Agreements (developed with Ijumaa Jordan)
Features of White Supremacy Culture
Definitions
Definitions
Race
Ethnicity
Racism
Prejudice
Equality
Equity
Social groups that are based on shared history, culture, and/or connection to geographical place.
A baseless and usually negative attitude, held by an individual, toward members of another social group. Common features include negative feelings and stereotyped beliefs.
A fluid and erroneous system of classifying human beings that was invented by Europeans, and has consistently functioned over time to concentrate power with white people and legitimize dominance over people of color.
A web of economic, political, social, and cultural structures, actions, and beliefs that systemize an unequal distribution of privilege, resources, safety and power in favor of the dominant racial group at the expense of all other racial groups.
Race (v. Ethnicity)
A fluid and erroneous system of classifying human beings that was invented by Europeans, and has consistently functioned over time to concentrate power with white people and legitimize dominance over people of color.
How could you define race for a young child?
Racism (v. Prejudice)
A web of economic, political, social, and cultural structures, actions, and beliefs that systemize an unequal distribution of privilege, resources, safety and power in favor of the dominant racial group at the expense of all other racial groups.
How could you define racism for a young child?
What is Privilege?
Privilege is the unearned access to resources and social power, only readily available to some people as a result of their social group membership.
Privilege is the flip side of oppression.
Research: Young Children & Race
“Children should be presented with appropriate (not dumbed down) descriptions of the nature and scope of
structural racial inequity.”
Anti-Bias Education
Goal 1 (Identity): Each child will demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.
Goal 2 (Diversity): Each child will express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human differences; and deep, caring human connections.
Goal 3 (Justice): Each child will increasingly recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.
Goal 4 (Action): Each child will demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discriminatory actions.
organizing!
“Transformative Organizing is, at its heart, about building the power and leadership of oppressed people to change material conditions and to alter the structural relationships between groups and classes in society.”
Forms of Community organizing (Midwest Academy)
Accepts existing power relationship | | Challenges existing power relationship | ||
Direct Service | Self-Help | Education | Advocacy | Direct Action |
Megan provides workshops on anti-racism for early childhood educators | Black families start a co-op preschool or homeschooling network | Megan does research and writes a dissertation on racial inequities in early childhood education | Workshop participants put up Black Lives Matter signs in their classroom, talk to their family members about racism, and write letters to their elected representatives | Black Lives Matter organizes more than a million children, parents, and teachers to agree on legislative solutions that meet their needs and use the strength of their #s to pressure policymakers |
Base
Problem
issue
# of people engaged
How do you organize?
Cesar Chavez, the famous community and labor organizer who was president of the United Farm Workers, was once asked by an aspiring young organizer, "How do you organize?"
He said, "First, you talk to one person, face to face, then you talk to another…"
"But, Cesar," the impatient youth interrupted, "how do you really get them involved?"
Chavez replied, "First, you talk to one person, face to face, and then you talk to the next and then the next…"
Vision for Black Lives
February 4-8th
Black Lives Matter Week at Schools Organizing Meeting
Thursday, Oct. 25th @ 6pm
Saint Ann's School 129 Pierrepont St, Brooklyn, NY
Work Time
“Ultimately, the most important curriculum tool you have to give to children is your own self.”
-Louise Derman-Sparks
Thank you!!!!