In the waves of disheartening news over the past week following the murder of George Floyd and countless others, it was a relief to be inspired by a Facebook post by a friend back home the other day. Her daughter is six months old, and my friend is already teaching her about racism and racial justice. She posted a photo of the baby in her highchair, smiling at two photographs – one of a black baby her age, and one of a white baby. She posted about how they discussed that both babies are smart and beautiful, how they took the time to point out what was the same and different. The conversations really can start that early and that gently, even though the topic is anything but gentle.

In this newsletter you will find our regular Zoom links and some updates, as well as some anti-racist resources that you and your children can explore together. Especially significant is the webinar being hosted by Fourth Universalist in New York on Thursday evening, June 4th on the topic of anti-racist parenting. I will be attending, and if you would be interested in a parenting circle to keep the conversation going, please let me know as soon as possible and we can start as early as next week. Until then, be sure to note the time change for our RE offering and details for picking up your family’s seedlings this Saturday below.

It can be easy to fall into hopelessness as we consider the enormous plague of injustice in our country. However, we have the greatest reasons to hope snuggled into our chests and driving us up the walls as we continue to parent through quarantine. Our children, the future leaders of the Universe, may be growing up in times that fall short of our ideals, but knowing them, they have no intentions of leaving things the way they are. May we continue to forge the path to a fair and peaceful world so that when they are ready to take over, they will be well-prepared by our example.

Online Resources:
Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup

Anti-Racist resouces scaffolded by phases of white identity

10 Children’s Books About Racism And Activism To Help Parents Educate Their Kids

A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory (YouTube)

Not My Idea – A Book About Whiteness (YouTube)

Something Happened In Our Town – A Child’s Story of Racial Injustice (YouTube)

Events:
Thursday 6-4-20 at 7:15 PM
“How to Be an Anti-Racist Parent,” an expert panel presented by Fourth Universalist (Zoom link)

Saturday 6-6-20 at 10:00 AM
CNN and ‘Sesame Street’ to host a town hall addressing racism