“Peace is what every human being is craving for, and can be brought about by humanity through the child.”
Maria Montessori
Like so many others over the past few weeks, we have spent time researching, reading, and reflecting. We have been compiling a list of resources that will be beneficial for members of your whole family. From articles and podcasts for adults to books and toys for children and more, there are so many resources and tools available to parents and families to further their own education as well as to spark discussions at home about race and discrimination with their children. We will continue to use our newsletters and social media channels to share this information with you.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” As educators, through the lessons we teach and the example that we model, we have the opportunity to inspire and empower our students to go forward into the world with grace, compassion, kindness and love. The greatest contribution that we can make to creating a more inclusive world is not by something we do, but rather by someone that we help raise. We support parents and families as we all work together to raise the next generation to lead with heart, stand up against injustice, and celebrate individual difference.
We believe that when we act together, great change is possible. Maria Montessori’s vision was to create a better world through the child. We will collectively work to build a brighter tomorrow for our kids and the generations that are to come. The time to begin writing this new narrative is now and we are so hopeful of what this next chapter will hold.
Be well,
Sandra Bosnar-Dale & Isabelle Kunicki
Co-Founders & Directors of The Clover School
READ
The link below is an incredible free online resource for families full of books about activism, advocacy, self-love, empowerment, and Black history. Any book that you click is a read aloud book, so you and your children can follow along the story together. These books are impactful and are a great conversation starter with your children about any of these issues.
BLACK LIVES MATTER INSTRUCTIONAL LIBRARY
LISTEN
If you’re currently working on self-educating and learning more about the issues surrounding discrimination throughout the world, these podcast series are an excellent place to start. The link below is a list of podcasts on racism compiled by Harper’s Bazaar. These podcasts are recommended for adults.
Harper’s Bazaar’s 9 PODCASTS ON RACISM: UNDERSTANDING THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT
PLAY
Children learn about the world through play, toys, and books. The toys that we offer children can have a huge impact on them. The materials they are provided should be relatable but also allow children to learn about the lives and cultures of others. The link below provides a list of toys that will spark conversations about race in your home.
10 TOYS TO SPARK CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE
GIVE
Buying from Black-owned businesses in Toronto is one way people across the city can help support Black members of the community as demonstrations against systemic racism and race-based police brutality continue to wage across the continent. The link below provides a list of Black-owned businesses that you can support right now. The list includes restaurants, clothing stores, beauty brands, and more.
LIST OF 100 BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES IN TORONTO YOU CAN SUPPORT RIGHT NOW
WEDNESDAY WEBINAR
The recorded replay of this online workshop is an opportunity to observe sacred and spiritual conversation about how we can acknowledge our privilege, heal our race-related wounds and actively contribute to lasting and effective racial justice. This workshop is put on by Rachel Ricketts. Rachel is a racial justice educator, lawyer, healer, speaker, and author.
SPIRITUAL ACTIVISM 101: AN ANTI-RACISM AND INCLUSION WEBINAR FOR SOULFUL SOCIAL JUSTICE
Big Life Journal outlines simple strategies to help parents raise children who accept and celebrate themselves and others. This blog post provides parents with tools to have conversations about home about diversity.
BIG LIFE JOURNAL‘S 7 KEY STEPS TO RAISING INCLUSIVE KIDS
