Talking with Children about Diversity
Berkeley Hall’s mission is to empower children to fulfill their unlimited, God-given potential as fearless scholars and conscientious citizens. But what does this really mean? As Ventura Boulevard Magazine recently stated, "Berkeley Hall is one of the most diverse independent schools in Los Angeles, and we strive to be the kind of community we want our world to be. Our classrooms are enriched by the variety of backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives our students bring, and we work to create a community built upon relationships of awareness and trust.” BHS Bobcats are brave enough to stand up for what is right, accepting of everyone, willing to learn, thoughtful, and most important, they take action. They grow into conscientious stewards of the world around them through socially responsible leadership, moral integrity, high self-esteem, and compassion for others.
There’s no denying that we have a long way to go when it comes to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in America, as evidenced by racially-charged events in the past year. Along with the pervasive violence against Black Americans, there has also been a significant increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans in the past year. In response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center on March 19, 2020. The center has reported 3,800 hate crimes against AAPI (Asian American & Pacific Islanders) people in the past year. 
We believe that the best way we can create a world free of racism is by educating ourselves and our children, and by cultivating conscientious citizenship. Not only will an open dialogue help our youth process what they see on the news and hear from friends, it will ensure their ability to think and speak about these events with sensitivity and understanding. With very young children it might be difficult to have in-depth conversations about race, but it’s never too early to make sure there is equal representation in the community, books, entertainment and media that the child is exposed to. Taking these conscientious steps will ultimately lead to individuals with high moral integrity who are willing to take action and challenge the status quo.
To help our community take these steps, we would like to share the following resources with you. Whether you’re interested in doing some research on how to have these conversations with youth, looking for children’s books with equal representation, or interested in learning for yourself, there are plenty of resources available!
Here’s a list of some good resources to get you started:
Here’s a list of some good resources to get you started:
This resource is trusted by many who are interested in getting the inside (parent-approved) scoop for books, movies, games, etc. Users can run customized searches on their website to find a plethora of recommendations related to talking to children about race. Here are some to get you started:
“So you’ve realized your kids aren’t too young to talk about race, so now what? We’ve rounded up some resources for you to start.”
Hosted by journalists of color, this podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. They explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between. This podcast makes ALL OF US part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story.
Rachel Cargle created this course on Patreon to provide resources and critical discourse to aid in unlearning. She believes in knowledge leading to action and uses the platform to both provide education and inspire meaningful action.
Whether you are the parent of a 3-year-old who is curious about why a friend’s skin is brown, the parent of a 9-year-old who has been called a slur because of his religion, or the parent of a 15-year-old who snubs those outside of her social clique at school, this book is designed to help you teach your children to honor the differences in themselves and in others — and to reject prejudice and intolerance.
Across the nation, children of all backgrounds are experiencing a time in which discussions about race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and culture are at the forefront of their everyday lives. Many people avoid these discussions because they fear that conversations about race, bias, and racism lead to feelings of anger, guilt, discomfort, sadness, and at times disrespect. The current state of our Union, however, no longer allows for these tough conversations to be ignored.
Author Jason Reynolds helps young people understand what led to the protests we’ve seen over the past weeks and months and what children can do to build a less racist society.
Should we tell the children? How?
Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. We are here to provide tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.
Parents and other caregivers are seeking resources to help them hold children through the current, terrible wave of racialized violence, which is exacerbated by the tensions and vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As scholars, writers, and parents who use books to connect with our children and spark conversations with them, we’ve developed this book list to help engage the broad range of emotions and needs of diverse children in our multiracial society.
Yes, this really is a kids book about racism. Inside, you’ll find a clear description of what racism is, how it makes people feel when they experience it, and how to spot it when it happens. This is one conversation that’s never too early to start, and this book was written to be an introduction for kids on the topic.
The idea of an inclusive bookshelf isn’t anything new, but with the persistent violence against those in diverse communities, white parents of white children have an important role to play.
“Let me help you diversify your bookshelf with thousands of diverse and inclusive book recommendations for kids and adults.”
The New York Times provides a curated list of anti-racism books for kids of all ages.
The New York Times provides a curated list of anti-racism books for adults.
When her 3-year-old son told her that a classmate told him that his skin was brown because he drank chocolate milk, Dr. Tatum, former president of Spelman College and a visiting scholar at Stanford’s Haas Center for Public Service, was surprised. As a clinical psychologist, she knew that preschool children often have questions about racial differences, but she had not anticipated such a question. But through conversations with her preschool son, followed by talking to teachers, colleagues and parents, she came to realize it is the things we don’t say and the matters we don’t discuss with our children that find their way into racist dialogue and thinking.
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Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.