Knowing Better, Doing Better: Research, Practice, and Movement-Building around Children’s Racial Learning

Session Type: Professional Development Session

Abstract

Public interest in fostering children’s racial learning is growing. Efforts from scientists, educators, media, and others to respond to this interest signal that a robust, multisectoral field of children’s racial learning is needed–and already emerging. As developmental scientists shift toward embracing scholar-activist identities, questions about how to catalyze and sustain a large-scale movement promoting children’s healthy racial learning are increasingly relevant. This session will lift up opportunities for developmentalists to help strengthen the field of children’s racial learning. The conversation will be framed by members of the Standing uP Against Racism and Xenophobia (SPARX) project (Drs. Christia Spears Brown, Laura-Ann Jacobs, Gabriela Livas Stein, Debbie Rivas-Drake, and Dawn Witherspoon), alongside practitioners (Drs. Andrew Grant-Thomas and Christina Rucinski) from EmbraceRace, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting caregivers in raising children who are thoughtful, informed, and brave about race.

The discussion will explore expansive conceptualizations of antiracist development and caregiving and will highlight emerging evidence about resources and experiences that may support antiracist practices. SPARX will share insights from interviews with diverse parents across the U.S., how those perspectives map onto the landscape of existing resources, and what still needs to be developed. EmbraceRace will speak to efforts to build supportive communities of practice among caregivers and will introduce the Rapid Response Research Network, a new recruitment tool to support research on antiracist interventions, tools, and strategies. Time will be reserved for attendees to exchange insights around their own motivations and goals for contributing to the movement to promote healthy racial learning.

Sub Unit

• Professional Development Session

Session Organizers

• Christina L. Rucinski, EmbraceRace

• Laura-Ann Jacobs, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Participants

• Christia Spears Brown, University of Kentucky

• Andrew Grant-Thomas, EmbraceRace

• Deborah Rivas-Drake, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Gabriela Livas Stein, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

• Dawn Paula Witherspoon, Pennsylvania State University, University Park