“You are more likely to find a book about a dog, a cat or a humanoid than a book with a Black child on the cover or between the pages.” So began a conversation with author B.K. Fulton, creator of the Mr. Business series, a seven-book series based on his childhood experiences. This week Caribu is featuring the second book in the series, The Science Fair, as part of the #CampCaribu ‘Courageous Conversations: Anti-Racism’ Week.
This week, Caribu is launching a summer reading challenge, #CampCaribu! It is the world’s first summer reading program that you can experience together in a video-call. The program includes 100 days of activities, featured books, and weekly themed reading categories with challenges and prizes to keep kids on track for the next school year. #CampCaribu will help keep the kids engaged and entertained while parents work from home and continue to be mindful of social distancing. It’s 100 days of summer reading in your pocket!
When it comes to tackling any tough topic with your children, age-appropriate honesty is always going to be your best bet. “If we want to raise our children to be compassionate people who participate as responsible citizens in a democracy, we need to find ways to talk with them about the thorny issues that we struggle with as a country,” wrote Dr. Laura Markham of Aha! Parenting.
For the first time in my life, this doesn’t feel like a false alarm. We’ve been heard. We matter. That’s all we’ve been saying—We matter. I am brought to tears by the enormity of the shift I feel the world leaning into. There is a cleansing, a collective consciousness that is washing away the ills that don’t serve us. This year has birthed gigantic waves of grief and death, but what is the lesson the teacher is screaming at us to learn through the pandemic, the hate, and the murders? I believe it’s to recognize the value of every person and to love, help, and support each other. We need each other.
We commit to adding new books authored by people of color and adding more anti-racist stories that teach children and their families how to take action. We will continue to feature underrepresented voices and stories, and seek out authors that are committed to these goals as well.
Developing empathy, compassion, and a sense of justice at an early age helps kids grow into anti-racist adults. For parents, that often means taking a deep breath and having those tough conversations about race and racism.
Today is International Day of Families, and it’s an excellent opportunity to celebrate your family and others across the globe. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly created this annual day “to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.”
