Early Risers

If you thought experiments about race were a thing of the past, Sylvia Perry has news for you. In her social psychology lab at Northwestern University, she’s trying to figure out where racial bias comes from. She is finding that talking about race with children decreases prejudice. She tells Dianne how her career was shaped by her own upbringing as a Black girl in the rural South, and she offers guidance for caregivers on how to lead these conversations, including sharing examples of how she’s helped her own Black son take pride in his heritage.Episode Resources:Talking to your kids about race can reduce bias, a Northwestern professor found, a radio story from WBEZ ChicagoSylvia Perry: Understanding and Encouraging White American Parent-child Conversations about Race, a video from the Center for the Science of Moral UnderstandingDisrupting Racism and Bias at Home, at School, and at Work, an article from Northwestern University’s Institute for Policy ResearchDiscussion Guide: Early Risers Season 6 Episode 6 Discussion Guide

What was it like to work at Sesame Workshop back in the day? How about Nickelodeon? As a proud Chinese American, Courtney Wong Chin was thrilled to help the companies find ways to talk about race and culture. In this episode, Chin pulls back the curtain on content creation at Noggin and Sesame Workshop. She talks about the challenge of finding language and images that are culturally specific but not confusing, and the importance of noticing and celebrating diverse identities to help build children's' self-esteem. Chin says she learned that kids’ stories work best when they’re specific enough to be authentic but not so complicated they’re overwhelming.Episode Resources:Coming Together: Family Reflections on Racism at Sesame WorkshopDiscussing Race with Young Children guide from Sparkler Learning, OK Play, and Noggin.Building Characters, Blending Cultures from EmbraceRace's 2023 Reflections on Racial LearningPanel discussion on content creation for children at the Children’s Media Career Symposium 2022, hosted by the Center for Media and Information LiteracyEarly Risers Season 6 Episode 5 Discussion Guide

Nicol Russell is vice president for implementation research for Teaching Strategies, a professional development company for early childhood educators. She has taught young children, managed a childcare center, and worked in state government, consistently striving to promote self-esteem and a positive cultural identity in both children and educators.Nicol Russell started hearing about race when she was a little girl. Her parents were from two different backgrounds and made sure she was proud of them both. They gave her language and tools to understand her identity. Now Dr. Russell shows teachers of young children how to communicate to build kids’ cultural identities and self-esteem. Russell says adults should run toward–not away from– topics that may make them nervous. Episode Resources:NAEYC profile of Dr. RussellVideo: Talking About Race and Power with Young Kids from Embrace RaceVideo: Tiny Talk - The Joy that Binds Us from Embrace RaceEarly Risers Season 6 Episode 4 Discussion Guide

Wouldn’t it be great to play games for a living? That’s a big part of John Sessler’s job for PBS Kids. He tells Early Risers host Dianne Haulcy the work is fun, but not simple. PBS Kids content is required to meet learning goals while also expanding what children know about race and culture. PBS Kids starts with diverse teams of content creators and ends with children as active and curious consumers of media.Guest: John Sessler is Director of Professional Learning for Ready To Learn at PBS Kids. Sessler has spent 20 years designing experiences that develop young learners’ empathy, curiosity, reflection, and critical thinking skills.Download the Early Risers Season 6 Episode 3 Discussion GuideEpisode Resources:Lyla in the LoopPBS Kids video on playful learningPBS Kids: How to Talk to Children About RaceSesame Workshop: Explaining Race

Media companies like Cartoon Network consult Dr. Kira Banks to help ensure they portray diverse families accurately and respectfully. When Michael Brown was killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, Dr. Banks and her family had just moved to nearby St. Louis. The psychology professor was teaching her two young sons to be proud of their African American heritage. After the crisis, she doubled down on her commitment to change the narrative kids hear about race. She says the work starts with the stories we tell babies and continues with the stories we tell children.Episode Resources:Dr. Banks' podcast, Raising EquityTedX talk on systemic changeFaculty websiteDr. Bank’s website: https://kirabanks.com/LinkedIn: Dr Kira BanksInstagram: @‌DrKiraBanksFaceBook: @‌DrKiraBanksTwitter: @‌DrKiraBanksTikTok: @‌DrKiraBanksDownload the discussion guide

What if you COULD tell a book by its cover? What if the pictures and design were as important as the words? That’s the idea behind Megan Dowd Lambert’s “Whole Book Approach” to reading. As a mother to five children of color and two white children, Dowd Lambert promotes reading “with a race-conscious lens.” As a professional storyteller, she explains why it’s important to read with children, and not just to them.Episode Resources:Megan Dowd Lambert’s websiteBooks inspired by Megan Dowd Lambert’s daughters: Every Day With April and MaeVideo demonstrating Whole Book Approach with preschoolersVideo presentation by Megan Dowd Lambert for Embrace RaceMerge for Equality video interview with Megan Dowd LambertCooperative Children’s Book Center at University of WisconsinDiverse Book FinderDownload the Discussion Guide:Early Risers S6 E1 Discussion Guide

“Racial identity” refers to a person’s understanding of different racial identities, one’s preferences for a particular racial identity and how identities are ranked in their family, their society and in their own mind. Toni Sturdivant has spent her career developing a library of books and a collection of teaching ideas for the early childhood classroom that will help young children establish a positive racial identity. In this episode, she talks about her work and her particular focus on boosting the confidence and resilience of young children of color.Guest: Toni Sturdivant is director of Early Learning and Head Start for the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, MO. She is also a parent, coach, professor and author who focuses on young children’s racial identity. Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 6 Discussion GuideEpisode Resources:More from Toni Sturdivant: her books and other interviewsToni’s personal statement: https://www.naeyc.org/about-us/people/governing-board/elections/toni-sturdivantVideo: Unpacking parenting with Toni Sturdivant2021 Scholarly research report from UNC: “Ethnic-Racial Identity Formation in the Early Years” More resources on positive racial identity in BIPOC children

One of the hardest parts of teaching is managing the classroom to promote learning, keep order and inspire students. Many approaches to classroom management are punitive and reproachful. Reddy describes a different approach that–at its core– celebrates students and gives them opportunities to practice their identities.Guest: Shawn Prakash Reddy was an elementary school teacher in Chicago public schools for nearly ten years. He is now Associate Director of Teacher Development at National Louis University in Chicago and a field coach for teachers in training.Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 5 Discussion GuideEpisode Resources:This study explores how teachers can be taught “racial noticing” to increase awareness in the classroom.This webinar is from the “Cultural Competent Knowledge Cafe” series that Shawn Reddy is facilitating with the National Louis community.More from National Louis University on their work to train teachers to be conscious of race, racism and bias. 

Structural racism is different than interpersonal racism. It is the set of policies and practices that put BIPOC communities at a disadvantage from the earliest stages of life. So how can we work in our early childhood communities to identify structural racism and make change so that young people - BIPOC and white - are no longer harmed by structural racism? Jen Neitzel shares examples from her work in communities across the United States.Guest: Jen Neitzel is the executive director of the Educational Equity Institute based in North Carolina. Neitzel works with educational communities across the United States to deconstruct whiteness, dismantle racist policies and identify opportunities to introduce equity into classrooms and other community spaces.Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 4 Discussion GuideEpisode Resources:More information about the Educational Equity InstituteMore from Jen Neitzel on the anti-racism work at the Educational Equity Institute

Theressa Lenear was practicing anti-bias education long before it was widely known as an approach to early learning. As a young Black teacher in Alaska, she tapped into her intuition to guide her practices with young children. She created a classroom-wide deep respect for her students’ cultures. She shares her perspectives on how to support BIPOC children in underserved communities.Guest: Theressa Lenear is an early childhood education instructor at Goddard College. She has worked with young children and their teachers for nearly 40 years. She is profiled in the book “Stories of Resistance: Learning from Black Women in Early Care and Education.”Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 3 Discussion GuideEpisode Resources:Theressa Lenear’s  profile in the  book “Stories of Resistance: Learning from Black Women in Early Care and Education”Theressa Lenear’s personal statement about her insights from her career in early childhood educationTheressa Lenear’s article in Exchange magazine about the conflict between two young students,  which she discusses  in the episode. (Paywall)

Many programs that offer innovation in education ask teachers to adopt a new curriculum or implement a new procedure in their classroom. But when it comes to anti-bias work, Veronica Reynoso says there is no new curriculum. Instead, you need to be in community with children and disrupt the biases and stereotypes they pick up from the world. She explains how she does this and how the children respond.Guest: Veronica Reynoso is an early childhood teacher and mentor teacher at Hilltop Children’s Center in Seattle, Washington. She grew up in Chicago in a Mexican American family. She has been featured in articles, podcasts and a film highlighting her anti-bias practices in the classroom. Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 2 Discussion GuideEpisode Resources:More from Veronica Reynoso on this Embrace Race webinarMore from Veronica Reynoso in this Exchange article (paywall)Veronica Reynoso and other early childhood teachers are featured in this film “Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years”

If we adults want to work with young children on issues related to race and racism, we first need to work with ourselves. Marie Lister describes the learning communities she facilitates with teachers to help them become aware of, and address, their own biases. She discusses how the work adults do in these communal learning spaces can benefit young children immeasurably for years to come.Episode Resources: Marie coaches early childhood teachers through the nonprofit Before RacismDiscussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 1

In this episode, Dianne is joined by Dr. Richard Lee, a distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Asian American Studies program at the University of Minnesota. Together, they explore some of the parenting stories featured in season four of Early Risers. Dianne and Dr. Lee also share valuable insights to help parents discuss race and racism with the young children in their lives.Early Risers Season 4 Episodes 4-6 Discussion Guidehttps://files.apmcdn.org/production/e079d17c73189c6473b07d6574350544.pdf (pdf)

In this episode of Early Risers, we delve into the parenting journey of Ayan Omar, a Somali American mother living in St. Cloud, Minnesota with her husband and two young daughters. As an interracial and interfaith couple, Ayan and her husband have faced unique challenges in raising their children. In this conversation with host Dianne, Ayan shares her experiences navigating conversations about race and racism with her daughters, and how her own upbringing in a predominantly Black community has informed her parenting approach.Early Risers Season 4 Episodes 4-6 Discussion Guidehttps://files.apmcdn.org/production/e079d17c73189c6473b07d6574350544.pdf (pdf)Episode resources:"Raising Multiracial Children" by Farzana Nayani: This book offers practical guidance and advice for parents raising children with multiple racial identities, including how to navigate conversations about race, cultural identity, and discrimination."Raising Race Conscious Children": This website offers resources and articles for parents who want to have conversations about race and racism with their children, including how to talk about privilege, intersectionality, and allyship."The Conscious Kid": This website provides resources and articles on how to raise racially conscious children and combat racism and bias, including book recommendations and tips for having conversations about race with kids."LET’S TALK! A Teaching Tolerance Guide": This PDF offers free resources and lesson plans for parents and educators to teach children about social justice, diversity, and anti-bias education."EmbraceRace": This organization offers resources and webinars on how to raise children who are resilient, empathetic, and racially conscious, including tips for talking about race, supporting children's racial identity, and combating racism.

Cecilia Amadou is a Ghanaian mother raising her son in the Fargo-Moorhead area of Minnesota. In this episode of Early Risers, Cecilia shares her experiences navigating parenthood and conversations about race and racism in a community that is over 90% white. As Black parents with roots in Africa, Cecilia and her husband offer a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of raising a child in a predominantly white environment.Early Risers Season 4 Episodes 4-6 Discussion Guidehttps://files.apmcdn.org/production/e079d17c73189c6473b07d6574350544.pdf (pdf)Episode resources:“Mothering While Black: Boundaries and Burdens of Middle-Class Parenthood” by Dawn Marie Dow – This book examines the complex lives of the African American middle class—in particular, black mothers and the strategies they use to raise their children to maintain class status while simultaneously defining and protecting their children’s “authentically Black” identities. Sociologist Dawn Marie Dow shows how the frameworks typically used to research middle-class families focus on white mothers’ experiences, inadequately capturing the experiences of African American middle- and upper-middle-class mothers."Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America" by Jennifer Harvey - This book offers insights and practical advice for white parents who want to raise their children to be allies in the fight against racism."Parenting for Liberation" - This online community offers resources and support for parents of color who are seeking to raise socially conscious and empowered children.

In this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne speaks with Acacia Ward, a young Black and biracial single mother of three living in Rochester, Minnesota. Acacia shares her experiences growing up in a predominantly white community and how she's navigating conversations about race and identity with her children. As a mother of a son with a Sudanese father, Acacia offers insights on how she and her co-parent are helping their child appreciate his cultural heritage. This episode offers a candid and thought-provoking discussion on parenting, identity, and cultural awareness.Discussion guide https://files.apmcdn.org/production/cbcec99ae3656a8fe878d98392d3a83a.pdfEpisode resources: Raising Race Conscious Children - This website offers resources and tools for parents on how to talk to children about race and racism. It includes articles, book recommendations, and a podcast. Parenting for Liberation - This website offers resources and support for parents of color, including workshops, webinars, and coaching. It focuses on empowering parents to raise socially conscious and confident children. 

In this episode of Early Risers, Dianne speaks with Kai and James Miller, a married couple raising their two daughters in Rochester, Minnesota. Kai and James share their experiences as Black parents in a growing city that's becoming more racially diverse. Despite the demographic changes, the Millers have struggled with feeling isolated while working to ensure their daughters see positive representations of themselves in school and the community. Even with these challenges, Kai and James are taking concrete steps to build their daughters' confidence and self-esteem. We can all learn from their insights on navigating parenthood and identity in a changing landscape.Discussion guidehttps://files.apmcdn.org/production/cbcec99ae3656a8fe878d98392d3a83a.pdfEpisode resources: Raising Race Conscious Children - A website and book series dedicated to providing resources and tools for parents to have conversations with their children about race and racism. The website includes articles, book lists, and discussion guides.The African American Parenting Group is an online community for African American parents to connect, share resources, and support each other."Parenting in the Age of Black Lives Matter" is a resource guide compiled by the organization EmbraceRace. It includes articles, videos, books, and podcasts for parents who want to engage in conversations about race and racism with their children."Talking to Children About Racial Bias" is a guide created by the American Psychological Association that offers tips for how parents can talk to their children about race and racism.The National Black Child Development Institute is an organization that provides resources and advocacy for black children and families. Their website includes articles, resources, and events related to parenting and education.

In this episode of Early Risers, Dianne speaks with Ellen Guettler, a white parent raising her two boys in Minneapolis. Ellen shares her journey of practicing anti-racist parenting in community with other white parents. Growing up, Ellen attended integrated public schools in St. Paul during the 1990s.  She remembers feeling tensions around race and racism but never had the opportunity to talk about these issues with adults. Now, as a parent, Ellen is committed to navigating these conversations with her young children.  She shares some of the questions and discoveries she's encountered on this journey. We can all learn from Ellen's insights and experiences, as they offer valuable perspective on navigating anti-racist parenting as a white parent in a diverse community.Early Risers Season 4 Episodes 1-3 Discussion Guidehttps://files.apmcdn.org/production/cbcec99ae3656a8fe878d98392d3a83a.pdfEpisode resources: Teaching Tolerance - A website with free resources for educators and parents to promote social justice and anti-bias education. It has a variety of articles, lesson plans, and activities that can help parents understand how to talk about race and racism with their children. Raising Race Conscious Children - A blog that provides resources, tips, and insights on how to talk about race with young children. It offers specific advice for parents of different races and backgrounds, including white parents. EmbraceRace - A nonprofit organization that aims to educate and support caregivers to raise children who are "thoughtful, informed, and brave about race." They offer webinars, resources, and a supportive community to help parents navigate conversations about race and racism with their children.Anti-Racism Daily - A daily newsletter that provides insights and resources on how to fight racism and become a better ally. It offers practical advice for parents and caregivers on how to have conversations about race and raise anti-racist children.Parent Toolkit - A website that offers resources for parents on a variety of topics, including race and diversity. It has articles, videos, and activities that can help parents navigate conversations about race and racism with their children. "Talking to Children about Racism, Police Brutality, and Protests" - An article from Ahaparenting.com that provides guidance for parents on how to talk to children about these complex issues. It offers age-appropriate strategies and tips for how to promote empathy and understanding. "Children Are Not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn Race" - A talk by Erin Winkler, a professor of Africology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In this talk, Winkler explains how children learn about race and offers insights on how parents can help them develop a positive racial identity.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is an award-winning historian who is known for his best-selling books on antiracism. But a few years ago, he also started writing books for very young children, including a new book “Magnolia Flower,” which he adapted from a short story written by Zora Neale Hurston. In this special episode of Early Risers, Dr. Kendi reflects on his personal journey as a parent and children’s book author, including how children’s books can teach children about cultivating love as a tool for resistance.Discussion Guide https://files.apmcdn.org/production/6362a4e22bfbde1e11d6a555a6d421ea.pdfEpisode resources:Dr. Ibram X. Kendi has published several books for young children, including “Antiracist Baby,” “Goodnight Racism,” and most recently “Magnolia Flower.”“My Family’s Doll Test”: Dr. Kendi’s 2022 essay in The Atlantic about the Clark doll test experiments from the 1940s and the importance of being intentional about representation in children’s toys and books.“Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Recommends 6 Books to Help Your Kids Understand Race”: Dr. Kendi’s 2021 interview with NPR.

How do children learn about race or racism? Is it ever too early to start talking to them about it? What kinds of conversations should we be having with young children about these issues? In this special episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy revisits highlights from some of her past interviews with educators, psychologists, children’s book authors, brain researchers, therapists, and others. Together these experts offer insights, practical tools, and guidance for raising children with an understanding of cultural differences, racism and implicit bias.The voices include:Dr. Rosemarie Allen - associate professor, School of Education at Metropolitan State University of DenverLouise Derman-Sparks - anti-bias education expert and author, “What if All the Kids Are White?”Dr. Damien Fair - cognitive neuroscientist and co-director, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of MinnesotaPeggy Flanagan - 50th Lieutenant Governor, state of MinnesotaChristina Gonzalez - director of Student Support Services for Richfield Public Schools, Richfield, MinnesotaBeth Hall - executive director, PACT, An Adoption AllianceBrook LaFloe - early childhood educator and entrepreneurResmaa Menakem - therapist, coach and author, “My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies”Bao Phi - Writer and award-winning children’s book author, “A Different Pond”Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum - psychologist and author, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race.”Episode resources:Anti-bias educator and author Louise Derman-Sparks describes the creative use of persona dolls as a tool for promoting inclusion and reducing bias. Here’s an example of how persona dolls are being used in one early childhood classroom.University of Minnesota cognitive neuroscientist Damien Fair discusses the Harvard Implicit Association Test, which includes a variety of free online assessments where you can gain insight about your own implicit biases.Early childhood educator and entrepreneur Brook LaFloe describes an Indigenous cultural resource called the medicine wheel that helped her to conceptualize the interconnectedness of the different peoples of the world as a child.There is a lack of racial and cultural diversity in children’s book characters as well as authors. EmbraceRace crowdsourced a list of recommended children’s books, featuring “kids of color being themselves.”