About

I am a mother to a beautiful black little boy. I am also an early education teacher. I want to set a positive racial identity foundation for my child, as well as other children. I want to expose race-based discrimination while offering solutions to combating it. This project allowed me to start with race-based hair discrimination. 

Commitment Statement

What do you hope P.R.I.D.E could do for the children you teach? For their families? If your hopes are realized, how will it benefit them? 

It is my hope that by participating in P.R.I.D.E. it will allow me to become a better teacher. It will allow me to teach the children in my care to be aware and have a positive racial outlook. I teach at a primarily white institution, and I want these children to become more accepting of people who don't look like them. I want all families to know they are welcome especially African American families. I want to start to erase racial biases and help others see how wonderful black people are. If my hopes are realized the children and families will benefit from an open and accepting school. There will be books and curriculum that teaches acceptance of those who look different. 

Where do your hopes come from? On whose theories, philosophies, and research are your goals based?

My hopes come from working in various environments and not seeing myself represented. It stems from seeing the few African American children in the program not be represented, and the unconscious biases that are present. My hope is that African American children do not have to defend their hair, or ask people to not touch it.  My goals are based on the crown act which fights race based hair discrimination. 

How do you assess/evaluate success in achieving these goals? 

To evaluate whether or not I am successful in achieving my goals I will see if teachers are using the lesson plan in my school, and having conversations about hair. 

Consider how you will support Black children and their families in becoming fully visible in your classroom.

To support black children and their families in becoming visible in my class I will incorporate books about black families and by black authors, redecorate my class so that all the children are represented, make sure that the families feel safe interacting with me and the other parents in the class, and be intentional in the way I speak and model positive conversation.