Not Just for the Kiddos!

So I am assuming you already read my previous blog.... I'll wait..... cause that's some good stuff that leads us into todays soap box declaration.

Alright, Alright, Alright...... Let's dive into our Empowering Thursday discussion.

The Lying Liar Called Racism: A Love Letter.

Pause... Stop.. Think about it.... Did y'all read that title tho... Whew Honey Chile..... let that sit and marinate with your spirit.

OK OK .. So let me take the books lead.

Points I loved!

1. The book acknowledged the child and the adult

2. I was told upfront there were 3 big points to be looking out for

3. Racism was broken down into concrete imagery

4. Connections across the story

5. Building self-esteem

6. Ancestors were discussed

7. RESOURCES!!!

This book isn't just for kids. This was the most simplistic way I have found to explain Racism so that anyone can explain it without feeling attacked or misguided. I am a mountain. I come from mountains. I am not spaghetti.

Now you may or may not know how I love a good resource, but hear me out. At the end of the book it gives questions to ask and other reading material to help further the discussion and knowledge foundation.

I won't be giving away anymore of this amazing book by Giselle Fuerte, an AfroLatinx immigrant. Click the first picture to get your copy!

Be Ye Ever Always a Learner

So we all would be remised if we didn't educate ourselves before speaking on topics that we only have opinions on. Opinions, facts, and experiences are not the same. As we continue on the journey of ending systemic Racism, we need to make sure our youth are being afforded the opportunities to engage in dialogue starting at an early age. And let's all be honest with ourselves... Racism never went away it and no solution was found. What had happened was.... someone decided that it was in the best interest to just pacify the situation. Racism went into hiding in the deep rural south, our criminal justice system, as well as in our public and private educational system .... if you needed some evidence. That was until here recently when the flame was reignited and someone yanked that pacifier right out the that grown toddler's mouth. And boy was that flame ever so deliberately flamed.

But I digress. Let me stay on topic y'all. My whole point was that we cannot speak from a place of ignorance nor arrogance. Our Melanated babies lives, our loved ones lives, and our own lives are literally on the line. We must not shield but educate. We must not dilute but pollute the atmosphere with facts and evidence. I am all for people making their own opinions but lets make sure facts with evidence are the foundation. Now the question that should come to mind should be, "Nia, how am I supposed to talk to my 4 year old about that word?". First of all, what we not about to do is sugar coat not nary one thing. WE WILL AT ALL TIMES STATE THE TERM RACISM. We are out here dying and y'all afraid to use a word you can look up in Webster's dictionary. By allowing the term to not be stated you give more power to it. The Hermoine Granger said it beautifully "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself". We have fought and survived.... we aint out here giving undue power to a system that was never meant for us.

Let me get this tangent back on the graph. You asked me simply for some direction and resources. I got you fam. Well here is my first resource for you. Go click that picture at the beginning of this blog and let my #blackgirlcrush learn you something. Y'all... Dr. Griffin is the #truth!! This Unapologetically Melanated Queen has insight for days. Y'all go on google her. She got knowledge for days. She let's the data help make her points. For example "Babies have the ability to recognize racial differences from as early as 3 months". Cause you need more examples "Research has also shown that preschool- and elementary- aged children can show biases for or against different race groups" (both quotes came from her article and if you click it you will be politely lead to the the research). And as a previous inclusion Pre-K teacher, I have had many a conversation with a 4 year old about feelings towards their classmate to get to the bottom of things. My room was a safe zone and trust me my parents understood the rules in Ms. Nia's room as well.

So I will leave you with this... just in case you don't trust my #blackgirlcrush radar.... or you may want to catch a crush as well... Shes' qualified y'all!!

Charity Brown Griffin is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Winston-Salem State University, a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and Licensed Psychologist. Her research focuses on understanding race in schools. She is the parent of three children under age 5! You can follow her on Twitter @DrGPsyc.

Flipping into new EXPERIENCES!

So at the big ole age of 32, our owner learned that she actually likes fried HARD eggs! So for as long as she can remember the only way her eggs were eaten were scrambled hard with cheese or a meat omelet! Well her good friend offered to make breakfast and she assumed the eggs that would be put on her bacon, egg, and cheese bagel would be scrambled. Well to her dismay, it came in the form of a hard fried egg. Because of her trust and love for her bestie she thanked her and took the leap of faith and bit into the bagel sandwich. Well honey Chile, let me just tell you that that sandwich touched her inner stomach soul. She loved it so much she took another leap of faith and tried a sausage, egg, and cheese croissant from Dunkin' Donuts and she gobbled that thing down. So this weeks lesson is simple....

Take that leap, jump, crawl, step.. whatever it is take it. Even if you fail you learn. Had she not liked the fried egg, our owner would have learned that her belief of disliking fried eggs was true. But don't miss the fact that instead of an assumption she now would have a fact based truth in her life. But she jumped and now learned that the belief was in fact a lie and that although she was afraid to take that leap she gained more than if she had just stayed in her box.

Because of her trust and love she had in her friend she was able to take that leap of faith and find a new experience. Another lesson you can take away from this is that when you leap it does not have to be alone. You have loved ones and people you trust that you can have help you with your battles. Many times we think we have to move the mountain on our own and get frustrated when the mountain doesn't move. But the minute we reach out for the ones in our life we trust and love to offer us their hand, we find that that mountain begins to move.

In the #OHmazing words of #mytalkshowhost, Ohavia, Lead with Love!!!