Dismantling Racism
Dismantling Racism
Promote open communication about experiences, emphasise positive affirmations of Blackness, teach coping skills and self-advocacy, and celebrate cultural differences to foster inclusion.
Recommendation:
Promote open communication about experiences, emphasise positive affirmations of Blackness, teach coping skills and self-advocacy, and celebrate cultural differences to foster inclusion.
EASY
Mindful Moves:
Daily Affirmations
GOAL: Young people develop a strong, positive self-identity and resilience against internalising racial negativity.
Empower children to resist internalising racial negativity by providing positive affirmations of their cultural identity, teaching coping skills and self-advocacy, and fostering open communication about their experiences with discrimination.
Engage in daily affirmation practices with children, highlighting their strengths, beauty, and cultural heritage.
- Spend 5 minute writing affirmations and place them around your house or bedroom to see them often
- Check out 100 positive affirmations for Black Youth by The Good Positiv here: 100 Positive Affirmations For Black Youth Strength & Support
- Check out Daily Affirmation apps such as ‘I Am’: Click here for the app.
We believe it’s beautiful to be Black, select ones which make your feel good and encourage you to life your purpose.
MEDIUM
Mindful Moves:
Inclusive Campaigns
GOAL: Increased awareness and action against racism within the community, fostering a more inclusive environment for everyone.
Develop resilience and self-advocacy skills to effectively handle racial discrimination, support peers experiencing racism, and actively participate in promoting inclusivity. This includes celebrating cultural diversity in local communities.
Lead or participate in school and community campaigns promoting inclusivity and anti-racism, such as poster campaigns, social media initiatives, and public speaking events.
Approach the Head Teacher, School DEI advocate and class teacher to propose immersive days at schools where a particular culture is selected to be championed for that time.
This could include activities which demonstrate culturally representative music, food, languages, history and world contributions.
There might be limited resources to do this. Once you know what you need to make it a success - you might identify that this might be a great opportunity to engage the local community and businesses in school life too, widening your impact.
ADVANCED
Mindful Moves:
Regular Cultural Heritage moments
GOAL: Increased cultural awareness and appreciation among students and staff, fostering a more inclusive school environment.
Organise regular cultural heritage moments where students and staff celebrate and learn about various cultures through day to day habits and routines.
Create an inclusive and supportive school environment by promoting open communication about racial experiences, celebrating cultural differences, and integrating anti-racism education into the curriculum.
You can create regular cultural moments in school days by thinking about:
- Regularly acknowledging cultural holidays
- Representation in the School lunch menu
- Speakers invited to address the school at assemblies
- Making prayer rooms accessible
Even if we start out with small initiatives at first, consistency is key to building an inclusive school culture.