For years, many adults have believed young children are too young to understand race and racism. Some have felt we need to teach our children to be “colorblind” thinking if you don’t talk about race, kids won’t be racist. But thoughts on this topic are changing and people are talking about race and racism with very young children. In this episode, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Dr. Debra Sullivan about why we talk with very young children about race and racism and how.  Dr. Sullivan also talks about her book “Cultivating the Genius of Black Children” and how all educational settings can better support and encourage young Black children to feel confident and successful.

Resources

Educators must Disrupt ‘Colorblind Ideologies’

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-educators-must-disrupt-colorblind-ideologies/2020/02

Great website expanding on our guest’s book “Cultivating Black Genius”
https://cultivatingblackgenius.com/about/

2 Excellent articles from NAEYC
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/feb2019/black-boys-matter
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/apr2019/strategies-culturally-responsive-classroom