During these complex and harrowing times, we at Nia House continue to reflect on our role as educators nurturing our young leaders of peace and justice.
Currently, immigration and belonging are at the forefront of our minds. At Nia House, we understand that multiculturalism and acceptance of diversity alone are not enough. We view our school as an agent for opposing oppression and advancing the cause of liberation. In May, we celebrated the radical coalitional friendship of freedom fighters Malcom X and Yuri Kochiyama (who happen to share the same birthday of May 19!). We are committed to educating another generation of freedom fighters, capable of forging allyship, empowerment, and belonging to advocate for peace and justice.
Like all parts of our curriculum, we know that these topics need to be revisited and represented over and over again. There is no one lesson that can instill understanding of the very complex and deeply emotional work of advocating for equity and justice. All of us - children and adults - must keep learning and developing our social justice practices together.
In building a meaningful social justice curriculum, a few principles guide us:
SAFETY FIRST
It is crucial to remember that in early childhood, safety is every child’s right and a fundamental component of healthy development. Our work as caregivers and educators is to protect and nurture children’s sense of safety.
“Children rely on caregivers as their sense of security in the world. Caregivers’ willingness to have open and developmentally appropriate conversations with children can positively impact children’s ability to process and make sense of what is going on around them. Having these conversations also creates an understanding for them that it is okay to communicate these worries and fears to their parents.” Well Point Care Network
BUILDING BLOCKS
Start with foundational concepts, values, and key ideas and build from there. There is time to raise their awareness and develop narratives that are more complex while remaining age-appropriate over time. Don’t overwhelm your child with all the information. Answer specific questions without oversharing and telling the entire picture.
It is appropriate and within the grasp of young children to understand human needs for survival - food, shelter, clothing, safety, and community. We can explain that sometimes people don’t have access to elements that meet their human needs where they live, so they may travel or migrate to seek this security somewhere else. The complexity of this reality can expand over time. Simple narratives are best in the early years. Concepts and terms including asylum, refuge, refugee, and human rights can be added into conversation based on the developmental readiness of the child.
STORIES
Center stories of youth of color and immigrant youth, highlighting plurality and diversity in language, culture, and identity. Find stories that offer a moral that aim to mend the wounds of colonialism and stories that celebrate, validate, and empower the immigrant experience.
(these books have not necessarily been read by Nia House staff and may need to be edited for read alouds with your child)
It is imperative not to perpetuate historical amnesia in telling the “American story.” We are responsible for honoring indigenous people, offering children contemporary histories of North America’s first people, and providing accurate maps, precise names, and locations of Native communities as well as folklore, and current imagery of indigenous people and life stories (resources here). From this origin story, the experiences of all communities can be layered into the “American story” by sharing diverse American tales of resilience and empowerment.
SKILL BUILD
Center belonging first and foremost.
Name human similarities and differences and make connections across them. Build relationships with diverse people.
Provide accurate language and a lens to understand complex situations in simple, developmentally appropriate ways. See examples below for reference.
Develop a strong sense of personal identity, pride, and empowerment within.
Begin conversations about fairness. Your talk might sound like this:
“Historically, and even today, people are working as teachers and as freedom fighters so that all people - all of our friends, neighbors, and community members, and especially people of color (people with more melanin-shades of brown), are treated with love, kindness, and equity. There are people (who are still learning) that make unfair and unkind rules (policies). In our family and our community, we will always be teachers of peace. We will always work to keep one another safe and loved.”
Ask questions- “What would you do if…?” “How would you feel if…?” Remember, we don’t want to frighten children, but we do want for them to grow the capacity to imagine the experience of others, to grow their sympathy and problem solving skills. “What would you do if you knew that some children did not have books to read?”
Action- Make art or a sign to demonstrate solidarity and hang it in your home window. Write a letter to your mayor or representative on an issue of fairness.
Nia House’s 50 Acts of Kindness
Create a family routine of acknowledging acts of care and service, large and small, in the home and in the world.
Make it a practice to study freedom fighters from around the world. Help your child to make personal connections in the story.
DESCRIBING CURRENT EVENTS IN DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE WAYS
Protest
Sometimes People March, by Tessa Allen. This book introduces the notion that sometimes people march to stand up for issues of justice.
Deportation
If your family is personally affected by deportation…
First 5 California - Immigrant Family Resources
La Raza Community Resources
San Francisco Immigrant Legal Defense Collaborative
If your family is not personally impacted by the threat of deportation, how can you talk to young children about the fact that some families are living in fear of being separated?
