Thread by @sullivanamy, All over my feeds this week, I see fellow white people appalled, [...]

Amy Sullivan

sullivanamy

All over my feeds this week, I see fellow white people appalled, alarmed, upset--and wanting to know what they can do.

I don& #39;t pretend to have perfect answers, but I have some suggestions. And for white parents, it begins with normalizing the idea of our own Talk about race. /1

As with sex, drugs, other uncomfortable topics, of course it& #39;s an ongoing conversation instead of just one talk. But let& #39;s start with the belief that we have an obligation to have The Talk with our white children.

It& #39;s easier than you think. https://gen.medium.com/white-parents-like-me-need-to-talk-to-their-kids-about-race-its-easier-than-you-d-think-6054a62cbb6d">https://gen.medium.com/white-par... /2

White Parents Don’t Talk to Their Kids About Race. Here’s How I Learned to Do It.

On Indigenous Peoples Day, it’s worth some introspection

https://gen.medium.com/white-parents-like-me-need-to-talk-to-their-kids-about-race-its-easier-than-you-d-think-6054a62cbb6d

If you need something to get you started, buy the @DrIbram & @JasonReynolds83 book STAMPED and read a chapter each day with your kids.

Each chapter is short, the writing is incredibly engaging, and the content will 100% lead to questions and conversation. /3

STAMPED is pitched for pre-teens and up, but I& #39;ve been editing on the fly for a kindergartener and fourth-grader with no problems.

You will be shocked how much of it is new to you, as well. /4

I also urge you to watch Christian Cooper& #39;s video with your white kids. It is so straight-forward that even young children can watch and immediately grasp that something is wrong.

"Why is she lying?" our 6yo asked, as Amy Cooper claimed he was threatening her. /5

Because we& #39;ve been reading STAMPED, it fit into a lot of the themes we& #39;ve been discussing: why some white people automatically view black men as threats. Why making a false claim about a black man might make a white woman feel powerful. The idea of weaponizing whiteness. /6

fwiw, I have not shown & will not be showing them the video of George Floyd& #39;s murder. I described what happened but when they asked to see the video, we talked instead about why it& #39;s not okay to be voyeurs to black pain and suffering. /7

This whole parenting-of-white-children thing is a work in progress. I make plenty of mistakes. The kids often ask questions that make me cringe. That& #39;s how we all learn.

Talk to your kids about race. Today. For all the parents who don& #39;t have the luxury of avoiding The Talk. /8x

You can follow @sullivanamy.

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