Student Resources

 

We gathered resources specifically designed for school-age students and young children.

Books

 

BLACK LIVES MATTER INSTRUCTIONAL LIBRARY FOR STUDENTS PRE-K TO GRADE 5

A collection of stories for children in grades pre-k to 5 organized by the themes:  Activism & Advocacy, Self-Love & Empowerment, Black History and Libros en español with links to read-aloud videos on YouTube. After clicking the picture or link above, scroll through the slides for titles, and then click on the book covers to access videos.

 

14 ANTIRACIST BOOKS FOR KIDS AND TEENS

In this extraordinary moment in history, it is important not just to identify racism but also to actively teach ourselves to confront our own biases and fight racism within society. Books can be a place to start these conversations, so staff at The New York Times Wirecutter division asked teachers, librarians, and booksellers—all Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)—for their reading recommendations. These are the books they have personally taught and shared, the ones they know have made an impact on kids.

 

BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BOOKS FOR TEENS

It’s vital for all teens to see themselves fully represented in literature.  Unfortunately, many teens may not have this experience or may have only seen stereotypical depictions of people like them.  There are many titles that share diverse, non-tragic experiences of teens of color.  The Race, Reading and You Group of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh shares titles created by Own Voices.  Own Voices places Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) authors front and center - who in turn convey authentic messages and experiences by featuring BIPOC (or other minority) characters. 

 

Article 

HOW STUDENT ACTIVISM SHAPED THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

This article highlights student activism amid racial injustices. While students face many obstacles in having their voices heard, they continue to take the lead in promoting social change and justice. Rum (2020) identifies several ways in which students can promote change and fight against racial injustices.

 

Website

CREATE A RACIAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE (RJA)

A Racial Justice Alliance (RJA) is a student-run club, typically in a high school or middle school, which provides a safe place for students to meet, support each other, talk about issues related to racism and racial justice.  This Vermont-NEA Racial Justice Task Force site provides resources for students to create their own RJA including: Getting Started, How to Run a Successful RJA, Student Leadership, Recruitment and Retention.