Happy you're here. Let's get into it, shall we?

Over the past years, as we have been doing antiracist parenting work with our kids and also with families across the country, we've thought a lot about what we mean when we say Antiracist Parenting. In today's newsletter, we'll share with you our 6 Building Blocks of Antiracist Parenting.

1) Continuous Education
This one goes first because it's the beginning and it's also an ongoing process. As parents and caregivers, investing in our own unlearning and learning is a critical part of knowing what to teach our kids. We can only teach them within the limits of our own knowledge. Be it books, podcasts, newsletters like this one, articles, etc, being a continuous student of antiracism is imperative to our own growth.

2) Consistent Conversations
Our kids are growing more and more with each passing day. Their understandings, questions and processes change. Our 8-year-old son didn't understand the concept of racism when he was 2, but now he points it out to us (unfortunately, there is ample opportunity for him to do that) using language that is indicative of his curious mind. Conversations with our teenage nieces dive even deeper, as they are studying and understanding their own lived experiences. Keep the conversations going and keep coming back to this work over and over again, even when it gets hard (especially when it gets hard).

3) Reflective Media
Kids need to see media that reflects the multiracial world we live in. It deeply impacts the way they process and understand identity and the world around them (it's the reason we watch PBS Kids instead of Frozen, but that's an email for another day). For kids of color, reflective media can be affirming and can help build their own sense of belonging when they see characters like themselves in books, television shows and video games. It's equally important for white kids because they need to see a realistic portrayal of the world we live in. 

4) Intentional Environment
Seek out community activities that center antiracism, whether it be IRL (in real life) or online. Being intentional about who surrounds your kids and the activities you do helps shape the world as they see it. Keep in mind that the people that surround your kids are not only their friends, but also includes your friends and family. 

5) Parent/Caregiver Modeling
We know kids learn more from what they see us do than what we actually tell them to do. It's important to model antiracist behaviors, actions and practices for your kids. Be the change you seek. Steer clear of aiming for perfection, but do live by your values and develop your own antiracist practice. 

6) Community Action
Don't do this work alone. Find community. Find organizations near your home and get involved in dismantling the systems that uphold racism. Get your kids involved with these orgs early on so they learn that we can lean on each other to birth the antiracist future we all dream of. 

These six building blocks anchor our antiracist family practice. We come back to these over and over again. We also find that, if something isn't working, it's usually because we're not leaning into one of these building blocks enough.

Let us know how this is landing for you. What building blocks would you add to this list? 

That's it from us for today. Take good care of yourself and hug your loved ones, okay?

xo

Tabitha and Adam

A new year is upon us and, if you're like me, you're assessing what worked in 2022 and what you'd like to bring into 2023. In 2022, my life and work partner, Adam, and I worked with a wide variety of libraries, schools, religious institutions and companies to bring antiracist parenting principles to parents who just want to keep doing better. So for this--my last newsletter of the year!--I'll be sharing the best of the best in antiracist parenting tools that we regularly use in our work. Not all of these were launched in 2022 but these are the tools we used the most during the past year that were the most impactful. I'll keep it short and sweet AND, best of all, these are all super easy to find and use. So let's dive in!

BEST KIDS SHOW OF 2022

Launched in 2022 on Netflix, I actually discovered Spirit Rangers from my kids. They became OBSESSED with it and watched the whole season in no time at all. So naturally, we all got into it and what I found was a delightful kids show that not only has an all-Native writers room and works closely with Indigenous elders every step of the way, it also teaches lessons about connection to the land and finding purpose in one's existence. Created by Karissa Valencia, Spirit Rangers tops my list because it's fun and imaginative and engaging while teaching kids (and adults!) important lessons about centering Indigenous voices and lessons. 

BEST KIDS BOOK OF 2022

Our Skin, A First Conversation About Race, remains one of our favorite teaching tools. This introductory book for little ones shares about skin color, melanin and how the construct of race was created. With easy-to-understand language that's perfect for young kids, this book is our go-to when we want to start conversations about race in our trainings with children. Adam and I love that there are ample opportunities to pause to ask questions and engage in convos with kids about the big topics addressed. Find it at all your major book retailers. 

BEST KIDS VIDEO OF 2022

Sesame Street's Explaining Race #ComingTogether video on melanin remains one of our favorite videos in our sessions. It clearly and simply explains what melanin is in a sweet conversation between Wes, his dad and Elmo. For your kids that are obsessed with all things Sesame Street, it doesn't hurt to have a little Elmo in the convo. We usually use this to jumpstart a conversation about skin color. It also perfectly illustrates how to engage in conversations about race with kids. Take a look at the full video yourself. 
 

BEST FICTION FOR ADULTS 2022

If you're like me and learn best through vivid storytelling, this historical fiction tells the stories of generations of the same family, starting from the separation of sisters in Ghana right up to their lineage in Harlem. With compelling and sometimes deeply traumatic experiences that shed light on slavery, colonization, colorism, tribal warfare and more, HOMEGOING is a must-read if you're seeking a deeper understanding on it all. I picked up this book in Cape Coast, Ghana during a visit to a slave castle so it holds even more of a special meaning for me. Find it at your favorite book retailer. 

BEST NON-FICTION FOR ADULTS OF 2022

Learning about abolition has helped me become a more empathetic antiracist educator and a better parent. In 2023, Adam and I are going to be sharing about how we approach justice within our home with our kids and how we teach them about harm and repair within an abolitionist framework. And that's not to say that I have it all figured out. I'm still very much a student so this book was pretty effective in helping me learn the basics. Find it at your favorite book store. 

There you have it! My best of the best from 2022 to help you kick off 2023 with commitment and purpose!

What I'm Writing....

Visiting Ghana and Tanzania Was Full of Lessons I Brought Home To My Kids
If you follow me on social media, you'll know that I recently spent 17 days visiting the Motherland. And I did it without my kids! It was a transformational experience that rocked me to my core, leaving me forever changed for the better. I wrote for Parents Magazine about what it was like to travel to Ghana and Tanzania without my kids and I share some tips if you're also thinking of taking a big trip sans little ones. Read it here. 

How To Talk To Kids About Avatar: The Way Of Water
My son was asking me to see the new Avatar movie and that gave me the perfect opportunity to educate him about the Avatar boycott. I write about how to talk to your kids about the movie for Romper. But don't stress: I also link to a list of sci-fi movies that are actually respectful to Indigenous cultures. And side note: the creator of Spirit Rangers, Karissa Valencia shared with me that Wakanda Forever gets it all the way right. Read my article here.

That's it from me for today. Soon, it'll be 2023, another year full of possibilities and opportunities for you to continue to ground your parenting practices in antiracism. I'll continue to be here monthly-ish to share more resources and insights with you on this journey. We're in this together.

Hope you find reason to smile today. 

xo

Tabitha

Adam and I are in the midst of a workshop series called Antiracist Parenting- From Learning to Action with the Brooklyn Public Library. This is the first time we included kids in a virtual workshop series and it's been so much fun hearing their perspectives. One kid led us in our breathing activity last week and I secretly wanted her to just take over for me in doing all the breathing exercises. She was so great! As we've been designing and planning this series, we were thinking a bunch about THE most important lessons we wanted the kids to leave with.

By far the most important,
the most necessary,
the most crucial thing
to teach kids about antiracism is that

It's a PROCESS.

Kids understand what it means to be in process. Ask any kid if they're learning something and they'll be excited to tell you about math or gymnastics or bridges, as one amazing kid shared in our last session. Antiracism is much like that. It's a process.

There is no destination where you land and you're like "OKAY! I MADE IT!!"

It's an ongoing commitment :

• To unlearn all those things we've been taught that center whiteness

• To learn how to center equity and justice and

• To take ALL of that and move it into action in your home and in the community

And the only way to do that is to come back to it again and again and stay consistent. That's how we make change. It's all well and good to follow the waves of social media but the kind of change that matters, the kind that'll help us raise brave, bold change makers is when they know antiracism is the bedrock of your family because it shows up at home over and over again. And it's ok if you slip up and get busy and fall off. Or maybe you just need to rest (10/10 recommend sleep). The important thing is to get back to it and be consistent. Your kids need you to be. We all need you to be. And together, we can raise kids that aren't afraid to identify, root out and get rid of racism, wherever they see it. 

ALL THE THINGS :)

What I'm writing:
March 13 marked two years since Breonna Taylor was killed by police in her home. Here's why white parents need to talk to their kids about Breonna. 

What I'm listening to:
If the only reason you're reading my newsletter is to get the latest Trinbagonian music, well, I can't really blame you. This song is for the adults but it's so sweet. I've been listening to Jolene from Kes The Band non-stop. 

What I'm reading:
I grew up VERY disconnected from my body and have had to be so intentional, especially in my work with antiracist parenting, to help my mind and my body play nice in the sandbox. I just started reading Resmaa Menakem's My Grandmother's Hands-Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies and it's changing my approach to trauma as it lives in my body. I've also been more intentional about including movement in Adam's and my work.


Okay, enough from me. I'm sending you good vibes as we maneuver these new mask guidelines. I hope you're able to be safe and kind to yourself. 

xo

Tabitha