I am not okay.
In light of the recent protests and riots that have shaken our city to its core, I feel it is best to focus our attention on more direct services and the immediate needs of our community. Here are resources to help our school community address the societal issues that brought the protesting to our city’s front door
FOR ADULTS
- TEDxHampshireCollege – Jay Smooth – How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Discussing Race
- Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice from Teaching Tolerance Magazine.
- W. Kamau Bell on Being Black in America – The fatal shooting of Michael Brown has led to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the United States over police brutality and racism. Comedian W. Kamau Bell, star of the FX show “Totally Biased,” gives us his thoughts on what it’s like to be a black man in America today.
Engaging with Children
- Anti-Racism 101 for Kids: Starting to Talk about Race – If you’re nervous about talking about race with your kids, these books about racial diversity will give you an easy place to start destigmatizing difference & celebrating racial diversity.
- Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice – by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard. Read aloud.
- Here is an interview with the author, to further support parents in conversations.
- Daddy There’s a Noise Outside by Kenneth Braswell. This book takes the complex issue of protesting and breaks the conversation down so that a 1st grader can understand, unfortunately not a read aloud but a review of the book.
- Not My Idea – A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbothom. Read aloud.
- Black Lives Matter Virtual Library
- Black Lives Matter Coloring Pages
- 15 Books to Help Kids Understand that Black Lives Matter – a list of 15 books for children and teens that uplift the beauty and strength of Black children and communities, as well as those that exemplify the principles of the Black Lives Matter movement. All the books in this post are authored or co-authored by Black writers.
- This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on how to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work Book by Tiffany Jewell
- The Wedding Portrait Book by Innosanto Nagara
- A is for Activist Book by Innosanto Nagara
- Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights Book by Rob Sanders
- A Kids Book about Racism Book by Jelani Memory
- Stamped from the Beginning Book by Ibram X. Kendi
Please let us know if you any additional support during these times.