Like many of you, we’ve been shocked, appalled, saddened, and angered by all that has happened over the last week. And as parents, we’ve struggled to explain to our children why African-Americans are treated unfairly because of the way they look. But struggling doesn’t mean we’re not talking about it. On the contrary, to quote Desmond Tutu, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
When we started Xyza: News for Kids nearly four years ago, we knew that there would be both good and bad news days. While we can’t control what happens—news is news, after all—we can, hopefully, shape the future. Our mission has always been to share stories based on facts and to empower young readers to have open and honest conversations. That’s why we’re talking about tough topics such as racism, social injustice, and police brutality, and sharing the stories of what happened to Ahmaud Arbery, Christian Cooper, and George Floyd with our young readers this week.
Families have contacted us asking for resources and other ways to help explain what’s happening to their young children. We’ve compiled a few resources below, but by no means is this a complete list. We hope this helps.
Social Injustice. Police Brutality. Racism.
Black Lives Matter.
Read why people are protesting in the US here.
More Resources:
Sometimes simply sharing a story can help children better understand the history, challenges, and accomplishments of a group of people. Here is a collection of stories that we’ve shared with our young Xyza readers about the African-American community.
We Want To Hear From Kids
What does the phrase “Black Lives Matter” mean to you?
How do you think racism affects people in everyday lives?
Our readers are the reason why we exist. That’s why it’s important for us to hear their thoughts and perspectives. We want to hear our young readers’ thoughts on what’s happening in the country right now. Share their thoughts on the above questions by emailing editor@xyzanews.com. We will compile all responses and share them with our larger Xyza community.
Racism, Black Lives Matter, Protests
This week, our trivia will be focused on what’s happening in the United States right now. The hope is that our trivia will help support some of the discussions that are happening in schools and at home. Check out today’s question.
Curated Resources
How To Make This Moment The Turning Point For Real Change By Barack Obama
Common Sense Media: Book Recommendations On Racism And Social Justice
Kids Who Care: A Curated List Of Books From SF Public Library
For Parents: How Parents Can Use Media To Raise Anti-Racist Kids
NPR: Talking Race With Young Children
The Conscious Kid: Curated Children’s Books Focused On Underrepresented Groups
Together, let’s make change happen.
Sincerely,
Xyza Co-founders Joann Suen & Sapna Satagopan
Need some fresh ideas?
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