Early Risers

Latest Episodes:

Talking With Young Children About Race and Identity Oct 23, 2024

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. Russell

Video: Talking About Race and Power with Young Kids from Embrace Race

Video: Tiny Talk - The Joy that Binds Us from Embrace Race

Early Risers Season 6 Episode 4 Discussion Guide

Sparking Early Childhood Conversations About Race Oct 09, 2024

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 Guide

Episode Resources:

Lyla in the Loop

PBS Kids video on playful learning

PBS Kids: How to Talk to Children About Race

Sesame Workshop: Explaining Race

Media’s Potential to Help Dismantle Racism Sep 25, 2024

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 Equity

TedX talk on systemic change

Faculty website

Dr. Bank’s website: https://kirabanks.com/

LinkedIn: Dr Kira Banks

Instagram: @‌DrKiraBanks

FaceBook: @‌DrKiraBanks

Twitter: @‌DrKiraBanks

TikTok: @‌DrKiraBanks

Download the discussion guide

Seeing Race Through Picture Books Sep 11, 2024

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 website

Books inspired by Megan Dowd Lambert’s daughters: Every Day With April and Mae

Video demonstrating Whole Book Approach with preschoolers

Video presentation by Megan Dowd Lambert for Embrace Race

Merge for Equality video interview with Megan Dowd Lambert

Cooperative Children’s Book Center at University of Wisconsin

Diverse Book Finder

Download the Discussion Guide:

Early Risers S6 E1 Discussion Guide

Understanding Racial Identity in Young Children Mar 20, 2024

“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 Sturdivantis 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 Guide

Episode Resources:

More from Toni Sturdivant: her books and other interviews

Toni’s personal statement: https://www.naeyc.org/about-us/people/governing-board/elections/toni-sturdivant

Video: Unpacking parenting with Toni Sturdivant

2021 Scholarly research report from UNC: “Ethnic-Racial Identity Formation in the Early Years”

More resources on positive racial identity in BIPOC children

An Anti-Bias Approach to Classroom Management Mar 06, 2024

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 Guide

Episode 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.

Grassroots Work on Structural Racism Feb 21, 2024

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 Guide

Episode Resources:

More information about the Educational Equity Institute

More from Jen Neitzel on the anti-racism work at the Educational Equity Institute

Making the Classroom Reflect the Community Feb 07, 2024

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 Guide

Episode 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 education

Theressa Lenear’s article in Exchange magazine about the conflict between two young students, which she discusses in the episode. (Paywall)

Being in Community With Children Jan 24, 2024

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 Guide

Episode Resources:

More from Veronica Reynoso on this Embrace Race webinar

More 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”

Making Space for Teachers on Race Jan 10, 2024

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 Racism

Discussion Guide: Early Risers Season 5 Episode 1

Parent Highlights with Dr. Richard Lee Jun 14, 2023

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 Guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/e079d17c73189c6473b07d6574350544.pdf (pdf)

Parenting Through Race and Identity: A Somali American Mother's Story May 31, 2023

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 Guide
https://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.

Navigating Parenthood as Black Parents in a Majority White Community May 17, 2023

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 Guide
https://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.

Parenting as a Black and Biracial Single Mother in Minnesota May 03, 2023

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.pdf

Episode 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.

Navigating Parenthood as Black Parents in a Growing Minnesota City Apr 19, 2023

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 guide

https://files.apmcdn.org/production/cbcec99ae3656a8fe878d98392d3a83a.pdf

Episode 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.

White Parents Navigating Anti-Racist Parenting in Minneapolis Mar 22, 2023

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 Guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/cbcec99ae3656a8fe878d98392d3a83a.pdf

Episode 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.

How Children’s Books can be Tools for Resistance: A Conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Nov 30, 2022

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.pdf

Episode 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.

Early Risers: Wisdom From Our Guests Aug 10, 2022

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 Denver

Louise 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 Minnesota

Peggy Flanagan - 50th Lieutenant Governor, state of Minnesota

Christina Gonzalez - director of Student Support Services for Richfield Public Schools, Richfield, Minnesota

Beth Hall - executive director, PACT, An Adoption Alliance

Brook LaFloe - early childhood educator and entrepreneur

Resmaa 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.”

A Pediatrician Gets Real with His Patients in Talking About Race Jul 27, 2022

When it comes to a child’s healthy development, the role of a family pediatrician can’t be underestimated. In recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health officials have identified racism as a serious public health threat. So how can pediatricians help parents and caregivers address issues of race and racism? Dr. Nathan Chomilo is a practicing general pediatrician as well as a leading voice around health equity, both in Minnesota and on the national level. He describes the conversations he has with his patients about race and how parents can work with their pediatrician as an ally when a child encounters racial bias.

Guest: Dr. Nathan Chomilo is a General Pediatrician at Park Nicollet Health Services/HealthPartners and Executive Committee Member, American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Minority Health Equity & Inclusion.

Early Risers Season 3 Episode 5 Discussion Guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/7a28ecd723b189f34923bc2fd271ca13.pdf

Episode resources: Dr. Chomilo shared a variety of resources he recommends to families, including

“Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story of Racial Injustice” by Marianne Celano, PhD, ABPP, Marietta Collins, PhD, and Ann Hazard, PhD, ABPP: A picture book for children ages 4-8 that tells the story of a police shooting of a Black man and how two families—one white and one Black—talk with their children about what happened.

Raising Race Conscious Children: A blog and resource for parents and educators engaged in actively challenging racism.

EmbraceRace: A parent-led website, online community and podcast for parents who want “to raise kids who are thoughtful, informed, and brave about race.”

We also recommend watching Dr. Chomilo’s 2020 grand rounds presentation to his medical colleagues at the University of Minnesota, “Racism’s Roots in Medicine & Impact on Early Childhood.”

How Babies Start to Learn About Race Jul 13, 2022

Babies are like little scientists. They come into the world with a natural ability to notice patterns and form connections. By the time a child is two years old, research shows that they are already noticing racial differences. Dr. Charisse Pickron is an assistant professor and director of the Child Brain and Perception Lab at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development. She investigates how babies and toddlers start to learn about race, including why humans may have evolved to prefer the faces of people who look like them. Her research illuminates how parents and caregivers can widen our circles of connection and disrupt what she calls a “long trajectory of bias.”

Guest: Dr. Charisse Pickron is an assistant professor and director of the Child Brain and Perception Lab at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development.

Early Risers Season 3 Episode 4 Discussion Guide: https://files.apmcdn.org/production/9df8c95dbf95d2af8fb252860e7bdf21.pdf

Episode resources:

“Individual and Collective Implicit Bias in Early Childhood” - Video of a 2019 panel moderated by Dianne Haulcy where Dr. Pickron provides an overview of her research on infants and toddlers.

When and How to Talk to Your Kids About Race - Dr. Pickron provides helpful tips for parents and caregivers.

Dr. Pickron mentioned the work of psychologist Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race.” Early Risers host Dianne Haulcy interviewed Dr. Tatum in 2021. You can listen to that episode here.

Helping Children to Love the Skin They’re In Jun 29, 2022

As parents and caregivers, we need to be intentional about helping children–especially children of color–develop a strong foundation of positive self-esteem and ego strength. This protects them from internalizing racist messages and helps them to build a positive racial identity. Research studies show that having a positive racial and ethnic identity is associated with higher resilience and problem-solving skills. But where should parents and caregivers begin?

Guest: Dr. Aisha White directs a program called Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education, based at the University of Pittsburgh, that supports the positive racial identity development of Black children. This includes feeling good about their skin color and hair texture, as well as having positive associations about belonging to a larger Black community and diaspora. It’s a way of countering the anti-Black racism in this country, with roots reaching far back to the transatlantic slave trade, the Jim Crow era that followed, and whose presence continues to impact us today.

Early Risers Season 3 Episode 3 Discussion Guide .pdf
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/ecaf053d52017961fff5ac56da04da7e.pdf

Episode Resources:

Dr. White served as an advisor on this Emmy Award-winning PBS Kids Talk About Race and Racism special that models how parents can engage with young children in conversations about race.

Dr. White wrote a personal essay about an encounter she had with her grandson about colorism and how she responded when he told her that a book character’s skin was “too dark.”

“How to Talk Honestly with Children About Racism”: In this article for PBS Kids, Dr. White offers resource suggestions and concrete actions parents and caregivers can take, including specific activities and picture books that can open up conversations about race and racism.

In this interview, Dr. White discusses her work in children’s media, including how she advises script writers to represent Black characters authentically.

Dr. White mentioned the work of Louise Derman-Sparks, a longtime leader in anti-bias education in early childhood. Early Risers host Dianne Haulcy interviewed Louise Derman-Sparks in 2021. You can listen to that episode here.

Disrupting the bias within us Jun 15, 2022

What should we say when a young child expresses or experiences racial bias? Maybe it’s when a child makes a comment about somebody’s skin color being ‘too dark’ or how they don’t want to play with a child of a different race. Or maybe it’s when a child has experienced racial bullying or some other kind of racialized incident in the classroom. As adults, we may find ourselves reacting or freezing up in these moments. A healthier response is to prepare what early childhood education professor and scholar Dr. Rosemarie Allen calls “a treasure chest” of ready responses for disrupting racial bias in the moment.

Episode Discussion guide: https://files.apmcdn.org/production/73bf40c331d88de1e8cb76003aa9455c.pdf

Guest: Dr. Rosemarie Allen

Dr. Rosemarie Allen is a national leader around racial equity in early childhood.She’s an associate professor in the School of Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver and is founder, president and CEO of the Center for Equity and Excellence, a consulting firm specializing in racial equity and inclusion.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Allen has authored two children’s books about Black hair, “Stylish and Straight,” and “Cute and Curly.” She wrote these books in part, to provide white teachers with a window into the daily routines and lived experiences of Black children in their classrooms.

Here are some other book titles and authors Dr. Allen recommends:

How to Be an Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. Dr. Allen describes this book as a must- read for all educators.

Waking up White by Debby Irving – a chronicle of a white educator’s equity journey.

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad – a children’s book about a Muslim girl’s pride in wearing her hijab and how she responds to bullies at school.

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry – a children’s book that celebrates the beauty of Black hair and a father’s love for his daughter.

Spare the Kids by Dr. Stacey Patton – a book for adults that unpacks the harm of using corporeal punishment as a means of disciplining Black children. Dr. Allen also recommends Dr. Patton’s workshop on decolonizing Black parenting.

Dr. Allen participated in a virtual panel discussion, “Teaching Anti-Racism: Making Sense of Race and Racism for Young Children” hosted by Minnesota Public Radio and Early Risers in June 2021.

We also recommend Dr. Allen’s 2016 TEDx talk “School suspensions are an adult behavior,” where she talks about the epidemic of school suspensions in pre-school settings and how children of color are disproportionately impacted.

The Power of Place: Visiting George Floyd Square with Young Children Jun 01, 2022

George Floyd Square in Minneapolis has become a creative memorial and gathering space for healing. It also tells a much bigger story about racism, policing, and the struggle for racial justice in this country and around the world. All of this can be complicated and confusing for a young child. So how can we help children make sense of this? In this episode, Early Risers host Dianne Haulcy visits George Floyd Square with early childhood education expert Sheila Williams Ridge. Together they unpack how parents and caregivers can prepare to bring young children here, including what to do and say to help children heal.

Guest: Sheila Williams Ridge

Sheila Williams Ridge is co-director of the Child Development Laboratory School at the University of Minnesota. She’s also co-author of “Nature-Based Learning for Young Children: Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Budget.”

Download the Discussion Guide

https://files.apmcdn.org/production/245348fa8a040a803928bb7ec3c2f182.pdf

More Resources:

George Floyd Global Memorial

George Floyd and Anti-Racist Street Art Archive

From MPR News with Angela Davis: Coping with prolonged grief over George Floyd, mass shootings and the pandemic

From NPR: Many know how George Floyd died. A new biography reveals how he lived

Bias and the Developing Brain Jan 19, 2022

The human brain is hardwired to recognize patterns—that’s how we figure out the world, and why humans have been able to adapt and survive over millennia. But the brain’s ability to quickly form cognitive associations can also lead to racial biases, even in very young children. On the season two finale of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with University of Minnesota cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Damien Fair about how we can train our brains to recognize bias and why the first thousand days of a child’s life are so critical for brain development.

Dr. Damien Fair studies the developing brain as a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Minnesota: He is a professor at the Institute of Child Development, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Redleaf Endowed Director at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain at the University of Minnesota.

Download the Discussion Guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/8f389b555922caf0eef5d88ffbe96ad8.pdf

Resources:

Dr. Fair was recognized as a MacArthur Fellow – also known as a ‘genius grant’ recipient in 2020. The MacArthur Foundation produced this video about Fair and his work.

MPR News reported on Dr. Fair and the launch of the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain at the University of Minnesota in 2021.

In 2017, Fair gave a TEDx talk about his brain research, titled “Does the brain rest? New advances in studies of brain development.”

Fair discusses the Harvard Implicit Association Test during this episode, which includes a variety of free online assessments where you can gain insight about your own implicit biases.

Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan—A Live Recording Dec 29, 2021

On this special episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy sits down with Minnesota’s 50th Lieutenant Governor, Peggy Flanagan, for an in-person, intimate and wide-ranging conversation. They discuss how she’s been living through the challenges of this moment, including how her experience as an Indigenous woman, state official and parent have shaped how she thinks about issues of racial equity. This conversation was recorded for the 6th Little Moments Count annual meeting held November, 2021.

Resources:

The 6th Little Moments Count annual meeting includes video of Haulcy’s interview with Flanagan as well as a keynote address from University of Minnesota professor Anne Gearity, who studies the impact of childhood trauma. Watch the video of the full event.

Little Moments Count is a statewide movement in Minnesota to help parents and the community understand the importance of talking, playing, reading and singing early and often with children. Explore their racial justice resource page.

Making immigrant and refugee stories visible: a conversation with children’s book author Bao Phi Dec 15, 2021

Bao Phi’s family came to Minnesota in the 1970s as refugees from Vietnam. He experienced both racism and feeling invisible growing up in Minneapolis. Once he became a parent, he wanted things to be different for his child, which inspired him to start writing stories that weren’t available to him when he was younger. In this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy explores how Phi’s award-winning children’s books can be wonderful tools for opening conversations with young children about the experiences of immigrant and refugee families.

Episode Resources:

Bao Phi’s books for children include:
“A Different Pond”
“A Different Pond” received six starred reviews and won multiple awards, including a Caldecott Honor and the Charlotte Zolotow Award for excellence in children’s book writing.

“My Footprints”
“Hello, Mandarin Duck!”

Phi reflects in this essay on George Floyd’s murder and the unrest that followed—and how he feels that sometimes “being Vietnamese in America is to be an argument.”

“Untitled: A Reflection from a Vietnamese American in Minneapolis,” June 2020, Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN)

Phi has also won awards for his work as a spoken-word artist and poet. Many of his poems are autobiographical.

“Cookies”
“Refugeerequiem”
“Broken/English”

Recommended resources for learning and talking about the experiences of immigrant & refugee children & families from the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Resource Library at Think Small

What’s Happening in the Classroom? Early Childhood Educators and Implicit Bias Dec 01, 2021

About a quarter of all children in the United States younger than five years old attend some kind of formalized childcare. Early childhood programs can be a great way for children to start learning about the world, including how to build relationships with other children and adults. But part of this learning also involves absorbing the implicit biases in their environment, including unconscious assumptions about race.

However, Sheila Williams Ridge, co-director of the University of Minnesota’s Child Development Laboratory School and expert on nature–based learning, says these assumptions can be challenged when teachers are trained to recognize their own implicit biases. On this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with Williams Ridge about how she’s training a new generation of early childhood educators to recognize their own implicit biases—and how teachers and parents can respond when racialized incidents happen in the classroom.

Download the Discussion Guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/d2372d0f00e305e4c6d890c794e875e7.pdf

Episode Resources:

Sheila Williams Ridge is co-author of “Nature-Based Learning for Young Children: Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Budget.” Her book includes play–based lesson plans and experiential activities that early childhood educators can use in a variety of settings.

In this episode, Williams Ridge shares several book titles and videos she uses to introduce early childhood teachers to concepts around implicit bias, anti-racism and equity. They include:

“Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom,” by Lisa Delpit

“What if All the Kids are White: Anti-Bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families,” by Louise Derman Sparks and Patricia Ramsey

“White Teacher,” by Vivian Paley

“We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom,” by Bettina Love

Introduction to implicit bias from UCLA’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

“Our Hidden Biases,” from Project ABC, an Early Childhood System of Care Community

“Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism,” from The New York Times and POV

Williams Ridge also recommends taking the Harvard Implicit Association Test, which includes a variety of free online assessments to get insight about your own implicit biases.

Recommended resources about racism in the early childhood classroom from the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Resource Library at Think Small

Rethinking Thanksgiving: How to speak to young children about historical and racialized trauma Nov 17, 2021

The Thanksgiving “pilgrim and Indian” stories that many of us were taught as children perpetuate harmful stereotypes and whitewash a painful history of violence and colonization that continues to impact Indigenous communities today. How can we have a more honest conversation with our children about this history? On this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with early childhood educator and Dakota language activist Vanessa Goodthunder. She is the director of C̣aƞṡayapi Waḳaƞyeża Owayawa Oṭi, which is Dakota for “Lower Sioux Children Are Sacred School,” an early childhood program in the Lower Sioux Indian community in southwestern Minnesota where children learn Dakota history and language as their birthright. Goodthunder explains why every day is Indigenous People’s Day and how she uses language as a tool to heal from historical trauma.

Download the discussion guide
https://files.apmcdn.org/production/20998119df4206531bf8d966b3248fcd.pdf

Episode Resources:

Goodthunder and her colleagues have created an online repository of Dakota language resources for young children and their families. The repository includes links to videos featuring Dakota language children’s songs and activities, as well as children’s books such as “Goodnight Moon” being read aloud in Dakota.

For guidance on teaching young children about Thanksgiving in a socially responsible way:

“Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving,” from the National Museum of the American Indian

“Talking to Kids About Thanksgiving: Center Truth, Connection and Being Grateful,” from PBS SoCal

Recommended books about Thanksgiving from American Indians in Children’s Literature

“Native American Perspectives on Thanksgiving” from Project Archaeology

Think Small has a free ParentPowered texting program where parents can receive weekly texts with facts, tips and hands-on activities parents can use to help prepare children ages 0-5 for kindergarten.

Goodthunder discusses examples of historical and generational trauma, including the forced sterilization of Native women in the 1960s and 70s, and the abuse and neglect of Indigenous children at North American boarding schools, which were established by the U.S. government in the early 19th century to suppress Indigenous culture and enforce assimilation.

In June 2021, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland formally announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, with the mission to document the painful history of U.S. federal boarding school policies with a focus on cemeteries and possible burial sites with the remains of Indigenous children.

The acknowledgment by the U.S. government regarding forced sterilization from the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health
Understanding the history of forced sterilization

Understanding the generational impact of child sexual abuse on Native children

Race Matters: A Conversation about Transracial Adoption and Multiracial Families Nov 03, 2021

Being able to talk about race is an important life skill for all parents, but especially for parents raising multiracial families. When a family adopts a child of a different race, questions about race and racism cannot be avoided. On this episode of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy speaks with transracial adoption expert Beth Hall, co-author of “Inside Transracial Adoption” and executive director of Pact, An Adoption Alliance in Oakland, California. Hall also has personal experience with transracial adoption, as the white adoptive parent of two adult children both born in the United States—a son who is African American and a daughter with roots in Guatemala. Through her personal and professional experiences, Hall has gathered valuable insights and advice for anyone who wants to talk about race with young children.

Episode Resources:

Beth Hall is co-author of “Inside Transracial Adoption,” originally published in 2000 and revised in 2013. The book was specifically written for the parents of transracially adopted children.

Pact has a comprehensive resource library with links to articles and videos covering a wide range of topics addressing transracial adoption, including language and strategies for talking about race.

Hall talks about the importance of lifting up the voices of transracial adoptees. Pact produced a 20-minute video documentary, “Adoptees Speak,” featuring the personal stories and reflections of transracially adopted youth.

Download the discussion guide here: https://files.apmcdn.org/production/87265b0aac505a689fea3763c785f074.pdf

The Danger of Being ‘Color Silent’: Talking about Race with Young Children Oct 20, 2021

Young children are like sponges, absorbing information about the world around them. Children have already started to internalize racialized messages about their value and self-worth by the time they are three to four years old. Psychologist Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, an expert in racial identity development and the author of “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race” calls this “the smog we’re all breathing.”

In our Season 2 premiere of Early Risers, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Tatum about concrete steps parents and caregivers can take to proactively affirm children, including how to respond when children ask us questions about race and physical differences.

Episode Resources:

Tatum’s best-selling book, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race” was first published in 1997. She released an updated 20th anniversary version in 2017.

Tatum’s 2017 TedX Stanford talk, “Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk?” features stories and practical advice about talking to very young children about race, including addressing the painful history of chattel slavery.

Faith Ringgold’s “Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky” is one of Dr. Tatum’s favorite books to use with young children to open conversation about the horrors of chattel slavery and the courage of people who resisted. She also suggests Jeanette Winter’s “Follow the Drinking Gourd.”

Tatum recommends Social Justice Books for discovering multicultural and social justice books for children.

Download the discussion guide here: https://files.apmcdn.org/production/448f0d7d577747a626a63f920903014a.pdf

Teaching Anti-Racism; A Live Recording Jun 25, 2021

This special episode sounds a little different than our normal one-on-one conversations. This is an edited recording of the Early Risers event we hosted on June 17th called Teaching Anti-Racism. There is an incredible panel of experts on early childhood, racial identity and racism including Dr. Rose Marie Allen, Dianne Haulcy and Dr. Brigitte Vittrup. It’s a riveting conversation about common barriers to talking about race and racism with young children and what to say to get these conversations going.

Guest Bios:

Dr. Rose Marie Allen is President and CEO for the Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence. She’s a nationally respected teacher and trainer of implicit bias and culturally responsive practices.

Dianne Haulcy is the host of the Early Risers podcast. She has been in the early childhood field for over 30 years as a leader and advocate for young children.

Dr. Brigitte Vittrup is a Professor at Texas Women’s College. She studies how families talk - or don’t talk - about race and racism with their children and how that is changing over time.

Duchesne [Dushawn] Drew has been in journalism for 25 years. He was an education reporter in both Texas and Minnesota. He is now President of Minnesota Public Radio.

Connecting Children to Indigenous Cultures May 26, 2021

In schools and old children’s books, Native people are often talked about in terms of history. But Brook Lafloe has been creating toys and teaching tools to connect all children to contemporary Native culture in an authentic and respectful way. In this conversation with podcast host Dianne Haulcy, Brook shares the traditional Anishinaabe teachings she learned about race and respect. And she shares how caregivers from all cultural backgrounds can adopt this approach to race and help their children connect with indigenous cultures.

Resources:

Brook’s company website: https://niniijaanis1of1s.com

Bow Wow Pow Wow: https://shop.mnhs.org/products/bowwow-powwow

Ninisidawenimaag: Ojibwe Language Series for Kids: https://www.riverfeetpress.com/product-page/ninisidawenimaag

Minnesota based publisher of books by and about Anishinaabe people: http://www.blackbearsandblueberries.com/bookstore.html

Minnesota Indian Education Association: https://minnesotaindianeducation.org/miea/

Where Does Racism Come From? Best Selling Author and Therapist Resmaa Menakem Breaks It Down for Caregivers May 19, 2021

This week we’re asking a pretty fundamental question that parents might get from their kids: where does racism come from? In this deep and lively conversation host Dianne Haulcy speaks with Resmaa Menakem - therapist, coach and best selling author of My Grandmother’s Hands. He breaks down how racism is connected to generational trauma and he describes practices that can heal the trauma and strengthen anti-racist thinking and action.

Episode Resources:

https://www.resmaa.com/movement

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/somatic-abolitionism

https://onbeing.org/programs/resmaa-menakem-notice-the-rage-notice-the-silence/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/compassion-matters/202006/the-trauma-racism

When it comes to race, there is no such thing as "colorblind" - at home or in school May 12, 2021

For years, many adults have believed young children are too young to understand race and racism. Some have felt we need to teach our children to be “colorblind” thinking if you don’t talk about race, kids won’t be racist. But thoughts on this topic are changing and people are talking about race and racism with very young children. In this episode, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Dr. Debra Sullivan about why we talk with very young children about race and racism and how. Dr. Sullivan also talks about her book “Cultivating the Genius of Black Children” and how all educational settings can better support and encourage young Black children to feel confident and successful.

Resources

Educators must Disrupt ‘Colorblind Ideologies’

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-educators-must-disrupt-colorblind-ideologies/2020/02

Great website expanding on our guest’s book “Cultivating Black Genius”
https://cultivatingblackgenius.com/about/

2 Excellent articles from NAEYC
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/feb2019/black-boys-matter
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/apr2019/strategies-culturally-responsive-classroom

Healing the hurt; helping children work through racialized conflict May 05, 2021

It sometimes happens that our loving and joyful young children say something terrible. They can hurt other children’s feelings. And sometimes these hurtful comments are racist. It causes confusion and emotional pain and, long term, it can cause real trauma. How do we help young children work through these experiences? How do we help the child who has been hurt, the child who did the hurting and the bystanders who are impacted?

Resources:

Learning for Justice : https://www.learningforjustice.org

Embrace race: https://www.embracerace.org

Anti-racist baby: https://www.ibramxkendi.com/antiracistbaby

My grandmothers’ hands: https://www.resmaa.com/about

White fragility: https://www.robindiangelo.com/publications/

National center for trauma support network https://www.nctsn.org

We Are the Same and We Are Different; How to Talk about Diversity with White Kids in White Communities Apr 28, 2021

Minnesota’s population is 80% white. Many communities across the state have few if any Black or Native people or people of color. So how can we teach children to celebrate diversity and talk about race, racism and bias when all their neighbors are white? Early childhood education expert Louise Derman-Sparks shares her rationale and creative tools for teaching white children about race, racism and diversity.

Resources

“What if All the Kids are White” Paper by Louise Derman-Sparks

https://www.teachingforchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ec_whatifallthekids_english.pdf

Excerpt from NAEYC Anti-Bias Curriculum: “The Hurtful Power of Silence”

https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/pubs/abe2e-chap-4-excerpt.pdf

Article: Talking with Children about White Privilege

https://www.parents.com/kids/responsibility/racism/how-to-explain-white-privilege-in-term-simple-enough-for-a-child/

Excerpt from NAEYC Anti-Bias Curriculum: How Educators Begin Anti-bias Work

https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/pubs/abe2e-chap-1-excerpt.pdf

More on Persona Dolls

https://www.amazeworks.org/education-programs/persona-dolls/

Bad Things Happen: Helping Young Children Process Racism and Violence. Apr 21, 2021

We’re coming to you from Minneapolis, Minnesota where our communities are struggling to process yet another killing of an African American man at the hands of a white police officer. In this conversation, we are focused on our children. How do we prepare them for these events? How do we answer their questions? And how can we build up our BIPOC children so they are stronger than the racism they face? It’s a job for all of us.

Early Risers Trailer Apr 02, 2021

This is a quick preview of our new podcast launching the week of April 19th: Early Risers, waking up to racial equity in early childhood hosted by Dianne Haulcy of Think Small.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Resources:

Resources

Resources

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected