Talking to Your Kids About Race

The earlier we start conversations about race, the more likely we are to break down the barriers and oppression that come with racism. That was one of the key takeaways from last week’s Virtual Voices on Talking to Your Kids About Race.

Virtual Voices aims to keep Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation alums informed and engaged as our community works through this challenging time. Each virtual meeting brings together leaders on the front lines of impacted industries to share their knowledge, perspectives and leadership lessons.

Katia Campbell, associate professor for MSU Denver, Kevin Fox, teacher for Denver School of the Arts, and Simone Ross, parent and founder of Youth United University, shared how they’re talking to kids about race and the importance of having the conversation.

Check out our key takeaways and the video of the webinar .

It’s never too early to start the conversation. Start talking to your children about racism and your experiences when they’re young. It’s important to recognize the inequities and how different cultures experience racism. Kids of color begin recognizing that they’re treated differently early in life. Bring attention to that in your conversations, even if you and your child are not experiencing it firsthand.

Don’t let the conversation be a one-time talk. It’s important to continue to have conversations and ask questions. Change happens in increments – be patient and be willing to continue to have talk and listen.

The conversation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on your child’s age, race, exposure and experiences, the conversations you have with them might differ. Use content that they see and hear, such as television and school work, to frame the conversation. It’s also an opportunity to discuss your family’s beliefs. Explore that content and how it relates to systemic racism. Discuss how an individual incident they’re seeing or experiencing is tied to an unjust system.

Also, make it clear to your children that your family is anti-racist and what that means. It creates a lens of anti-racism for the future.

Create room for courageous conversations. The conversation should be difficult. Make sure you’re supporting your child and find out whether the conversation makes them uncomfortable. And, it’s OK for you to feel uncomfortable too. Reflect on your own action and how that’s impacted how you show up. Share your reflections with your family to create a space for open, courageous .

Ask your teachers about school curriculum. Know what your kids are learning in school. Schools have been part of the systematic racism and it’s important for every parent to ask what they’re kids are being taught. If it’s not an inclusive curriculum, ask them to make changes. It’s on all of us, not just families of color, to work toward change and speak up for inclusivity. When we know the history behind racism, we can recognize it and work to remove systemic barriers.