Black Kids & Black Dolls I’ve written a lot about the ways that racist messaging impacts Black children and how the messages of Black inferiority surround them. These harmful messages are everywhere—from the lessons they learn (and don’t) in school, to the toys they play with, TV shows they watch and designs they wear on their clothes. As I’ve said before: As parents, the … [Read more...]
#BlackKidsMatter: A Talk on Race, Identity & the Impact on Black Kids
This Saturday, June 13, 2015 I will be speaking to the Parents Group of the Adelaide Sanford Institute about the ways that colorism, hair and identity impact the academic and social development of Black children. I will spend some time discussing the role that parents play in preparing our kids to overcome these issues and introduce strategies for building esteem and … [Read more...]
Black Parents: Raising Black Kids
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To all the parents raising Black kids - this one is for you. The “Raising Confident Kinky/Coily/Curly Haired Black Kids” event at the end of last year was a huge success—and we have YOU to thank for that. The community really came out to support and learn why we need to protect our children’s self esteem. One thing I realized then and in the weeks that followed was … [Read more...]
The Nappiness Problem…
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Afro State of Mind: Memories of a Nappy Headed Black Girl Excerpt: Chapter 1 A Nappy Headed Black Girl Discovers the Nappiness Problem The following is an excerpt from chapter one. Enjoy! ******** ...My young sense of cultural pride was battered by consistent exposure to images that said White women were the beautiful women, White people were the beautiful people and … [Read more...]
Tiana Parker: Black Girls & Black Hair Under Siege
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******** UPDATE BELOW WITH INFO ON A CHANGE.ORG PETITION ******** When I saw the video (see link below) of little Tiana Parker crying because her school disapproved of her locks, it broke my heart. Tiana is the straight A student who attended Deborah Brown Community School. At least she did attend the school until her father Terrance Parker was forced to enroll her … [Read more...]