ROLE OF THE PARENT
SUPPORTING CONVERSATIONS WITH CHILDREN ABOUT RACE AND RACISM Jennie Tsekwa There is a famous quote by Tata Nelson Mandela who says “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” In our world today, children continue to be on the receiving end of hate – from the horror and violence of conflict to the daily microaggressions that take place in schools, families, and other social environments where prejudice and bias around race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and religion are rife. In my work as a DEI coach and practitioner over the past 15 years, I have heard from parents and teachers who tell me that children are innocent or “don’t see colour,” and that it is better if we don’t talk to them about race and racism. But I believe this is the wrong interpretation of Mandela’s quote. Sadly, because of our racialised world and systemic racism, children are exposed to race and racism from the day they are born. Research has shown that they are already differentiating based on skin colour before they are two years old. So, it is our responsibility as their teachers, parents, coaches, school leaders, guardians, or caregivers to help them understand and navigate race and racism in ways that are supportive, empowering and not just a transfer of our pain, biases, and baggage (which can happen verbally, through our actions and even through our silence).
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DEI in the Global South | Edition 1
