— from Ady Walker for Children’s House —
The mission of Children’s House is to prepare children for kindergarten and life, and rests on the ideals of inclusivity and equity. We believe every child has the right to grow up with safety, love, and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Systemic racism, oppression, and violence are in direct opposition to these ideals and we stand in grief and solidarity with the Black community.
We believe, and the research is clear, that it is never too early to start talking to children about race. Children are relentless learners, actively making meaning out of the world around them. They are keen observers and naturally classify and draw conclusions from our actions or inactions. This is why, at Children’s House, we are taking a pause to reflect on our practices to ensure they are instep with current anti-bias research and relevant in a world where deep and meaningful change are insight.
In the meantime, please help us spread the word that thanks to generous community activists and donors, a new fund at Darvill’s aims to make children’s literature by or featuring Black, Indigenous People of Color accessible to all children. Families are invited to come in or call Darvill’s (376-2135) to pick out books and charge them to the Diversity Book Fund. If you are not a parent, but would like to help families build a race-conscious home library, contributions to the fund can be made by phone.
This resource from the Black Lives Matter Instructional Library for Children may help when choosing new books to share with young children. Simply click on a book image to view the story read aloud.
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