This Year's Best of the Best in Antiracist Parenting 📕

Photo by Ekaterina Shevchenko on Unsplash

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