Resource spotlight: Talking About Racial Justice with Youth

At SEYM Gathering next month, both youth and adults will focus on the topic of undoing racism. Monthly meetings can help prepare young people for those conversations, and deepen their impact, by focusing on racial justice in First Day School before and/or after the Gathering.

For meetings with an active high school group, this ten-session “Teen Racial Justice Curriculum” provides a deep dive into identity, privilege, and racism, with an emphasis on actions for transformation and some explicit connections with Quakerism. It can also be used for an intergenerational group.

There are lots of gaps in racial justice resources for youth in Quaker and other progressive faith communities. But even without formal curriculum, it is very possible to have meaningful conversations about racial justice with young people. For elementary-age kids, try reading and talking about one of these “31 Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism & Resistance,” or use this “Kid-Friendly Language” guide to talk about the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement. For middle-schoolers, you could use a short film on racial identity and bias, or (depending on the event and your group), the day’s entry from the Equal Justice Initiative’s “History of Racial Injustice” calendar, to spark discussion.

For racial justice resources for adults or older teens, see the SEYM Committee for Ministry on Racism resource page.

What racial justice resources have you used with young people? Please share ideas or feedback at YYACoordinator@SEYMQuakers.org.