Simi Gill, She/Her

Simi has recently graduated with an MA in Applied Theatre from Goldsmiths University of London. She is currently working at a charity based in the United Kingdom called Blueprint For All who work with young people, communities and organizations to create an inclusive society in which everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or background is provided with tangible opportunities to thrive.


  • Children as Peacemakers: Black History Month

    For Black History month, here is a list of read alouds celebrating black history and heritage!

    Join our event "Children as Peacemakers: Black History Month - On Earth Peace" on Saturday, Feb 19th @12:00pm EDT using the following link: Children as Peacemakers: Equipping Resilient Leaders | An open discussion about children and racial justice - On Earth Peace

     

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  • Native American Culture Read Alouds

    Here are some books about Native American culture and people!

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  • Children As Peacemaker: Bullying Books Guide

    Book List for bullying prevention.

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  • Read Aloud Project: February Books

    The Read Aloud Project was created by Priscilla Weddle and Marie Benner-Rhoades to provide homeschooling resources in peace and justice during the pandemic. For February, the project celebrated Black History Month by reading books about the achievements of Black Americans along with books written by Black authors. If you are interested in recording a video for the project, please email us at [email protected]. Here are the books that were read for the project in February:

    Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed

    Summary: This book is based on the story of Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space.

    Reflective Questions: What do you want to be when you grow up? What kind of dreams do you have for the future? Do you ever draw pictures of what you want to be and put it on your wall?

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  • Author Spotlight: Dorena Williamson

    Dorena Williamson Archives - B&H Publishing

    I am always looking for new books, authors, and publishers to highlight for the read aloud project. The other day, my father and I were talking about my project and he mentioned how his former high school classmate, Dorena Williamson, was a children’s book author. This led me to look up some of her books and I was amazed by them. In her books, Williamson uses her experience as a worship leader to address important topics like race and justice. She currently has three published children’s books that can be found below.

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  • Read Aloud Project: January Books

    The Read Aloud Project was created by Priscilla Weddle and Marie Benner-Rhoades to provide homeschooling resources in peace and justice during the pandemic. For January, the project highlighted books about new beginnings. In February, the project will be celebrating Black History Month by reading books about the achievements of Black Americans along with books written by Black authors. If you are interested in recording a video for the project, please email us at [email protected]. Here are the books that were read for the project in January:

    A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr. by David A. Adler

    Summary: This book provides an overview of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and activism. The last page of the book provides important dates.

    Reflective Question: If Dr. King were still alive today, what do you think he would be most proud of? What do you think he would be most disappointed in?

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  • Black Lives Matter in the Classroom

    Last year, What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book by Laleña Garcia and illustrated by Cary Davidson was published. The book aims to teach young children about the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement as adapted by the Black Lives Matter at NYC Steering Committee. In the book, there are different activities that children can do and pages they can color. On January 20, 2021, I attended a webinar hosted by Lee and Low Books called Black Lives Matter in the Classroom: A Conversation With Experts, where Garcia and Davidson spoke about their book and how the principles of Black Lives Matter can be applied in the classroom.

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  • Read Aloud Videos: Gender & Identity

    Gender, sexuality, & culture are all significant pieces of a puzzle that makes up our unique selves. Because of this, it is important to acknowledge, understand, and fight for these facets of identity in order to thrive as both individuals and as Beloved Community, a key principle of On Earth Peace. This category is meant to facilitate an identity-oriented kind of learning in regard to gender, sexual orientation, & cultural identity.

    Donovan's Big Day | By Lesléa Newman

    The story follows Donovan's on his big day, the day of his parents wedding!

    • What has been a big day to you?

     

    Helen Keller | By Hala Hasan

    This book tells the story of Helen Keller, an American author who has lost both her sight and hearing as an infant.

    • What is a difficulty that you have had to overcome? 

    Sparkle Boy | By Leslea Newman

    This Story follows Casey's love for sparkle! He wears sparkly skirts, sparkly nail polish, and loves to wear sparkly bracelets.

    • What makes you sparkle?

    Pink is for Boys | By Robb Pearlman and Eda Kaban.

    This story shows how pink is for boys, girls and everyone! And so are all colors of the rainbow.

    • What is your favorite color?

    Sophia the Little Researcher: A Virus Tale | By Dr. Alia Abukiwan

    This story is about a young researcher trying to understand viruses and how we get sick.

    • How can we help prevent the spread of viruses?

    Gloria's Voice | by Aura Lewis

    This book helps inspire young girls to speak up. It shares the story of a woman that refused to not be heard at times women's voices were hushed.

    While reading this book please reflect on the following:

    • Do you have a woman in your life that inspires you or you look up to?
    •  What did you think about the quote in the beginning of the book?

    We Are a Rainbow | By Nancy Tabor

    This book helps young readers begin building cultural bridges through simple comparisons. 

    While reading this book please think and reflect on these questions while you watch this video: 

    • What makes you and your family unique?
    • What language do you speak?
    • Do you make special food?
    • What things from other cultures do you enjoy? 

    Grace for President | By Kelly DiPucchio

    Grace is surprised to learn that the U.S. has never had a female president. Her teacher decides to host a mock election and Grace runs for school president along with one other boy. Grace works hard to receive votes and ends up winning the election. 

    • If you were president, what would you have the courage to do?
    • What is the first change you would make?

    Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History | By Vashti Harrison

    Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History features the stories of forty trailblazing women in American history, including Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges. 

    • Can you think of a time that you were courageous?
    • What was it and what did you do?

    Malala’s Magic Pencil | By Malala Yousafzai

    This book tells the story of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education.

    • What would you do with a magic pencil?
    • What would you draw?
    • What would you say?

    The Sandwich Swap | By Queen Rania of Jordan

    Lily and Salma are best friends. However, they do not like the same sandwiches: Lily likes peanut butter and jelly, while Salma likes hummus on pita. A food fight ensues when they declare that each others' lunch is weird. In the end, they set aside their differences.

    • Have you ever swapped a sandwich with one of your friends?

    Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match | By Monica Brown

    Marisol is half Scottish and half Peruvian. She loves “mismatched” things. She has bright red hair, brown skin, loves to wear polka dots and stripes, having PB&J burritos for lunch, and being a complete fusion of everything.

    • What makes you unique?

    The Name Jar | By Yangsook Choi

    Unhei moves to the U.S. from Korea and is nervous about her first day of school. On the bus, the kids tease her because of her name. When she gets to class, she tells everyone that she will be choosing a new name for herself by the end of the week. Her classmates make a name jar to give her name suggestions. In the end, Unhei decides to keep her name and explains to her classmates what her name means and why it is important to her.

    • If you could choose your own name, what would you pick and why?

    I Am Enough | By Grace Byers

    Grace Byers' book is about loving yourself and respecting others.

    • What do the children mean at the end of the story when they declare, “I am enough”?

    This Day In June | By Gayle E. Pitman

    This book captures what goes on during a pride parade. In the back of the book, a note to parents and caregivers with information on how to talk to children about sexual orientation and gender identity is provided.

    Heather Has Two Mommies | By Leslea Newman

    On her first day of school, one of Heather's classmates asks her about her daddy. But Heather does not have a daddy, she has two mommies. Heather's teacher gives the class an assignment to draw a picture of their families. When everyone is done drawing their pictures, Heather realizes that not one drawing is the same.

    • When have you felt different from other kids?
    • How does this compare to Heather’s experience?

    Harriet Gets Carried Away | By Jessie Sima

    Harriet loves to wear costumes. Her dads plan a dress-up birthday party for her and purchase decorations. However, Harriet thinks something is missing and goes on an adventure to get party hats.

    • Have you ever gotten carried?

    And Tango Makes Three | By Justin Richardson

    This story is about two male penguins got the chance to raise their own baby penguin.

    • Who makes up your family?

    Julián Is a Mermaid | By Jessica Love

    Julián decides to dress up as a mermaid after seeing three women at the pool in mermaid costumes.

    • How do you like to or want to express yourself?

    From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea | By Kai Cheng Thom

    This story is about a non-binary child who overcomes being bullied through the guidance of their mother. 

    • Have you ever wanted to be more than one thing? What do you want to be?

    Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship | By Jessica Walton

    Errol and Teddy are best friends that do everything together. On day, Teddy seems sad so Errol asks Teddy what's wrong. Teddy reveals that she is a girl teddy, not a boy teddy, and would like to be called Tilly. Errol accepts Tilly and states that they will always be best friends no matter what.

    • Is there something important about Errol and Tilly doing the same activities together at the beginning and end of the story?
    • What do you think the author is trying to tell us?

    I Am Perfectly Designed | By Karamo Brown and Jason “Rachel” Brown

    This story is about a father and son walking through a city and discovering things that make them perfectly designed for each other.

    • What makes you unique and perfectly designed?

    Shin-chi’s Canoe | By Nicola Campbell

    This book is about Indian residential schools and the devastating impact it had on families.

    • Who were the first people on the land you live on?

    Alma and How She Got Her Name | By Juana Martinez-Neal

    Alma, whose full name is Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela, thinks she has too many names so she asks her dad about them. He explains the various people she was named after to honor them. 

    • What is the story behind your name?

    When Aidan Became A Brother | By Kyle Lukoff

    When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. But Aidan realized that he was a boy and his parents fixed the parts of life that did not fit anymore. Aidan's parents announce that they are going to have another baby, which leads Aidan to panic because he wants to make sure that everything is going to be perfect for his sibling.

    • How do Aidan’s feelings change from the beginning of the story to the end of the story?

    We Are Shining | By Gwendolyn Brooks

    In this poem picture book, the uniqueness of every child is celebrated.

    • How did this poem make you feel?

    Drawn Together | By Minh Lê

    This book is about connecting across generational and language differences, showing that sometimes you don't need words to find common ground. 

    • How would you feel if you could not understand a family member because they speak a different language?
    • What are some alternative ways to communicate?

    Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music | By Margarita Engle

    This story is about a girl who breaks the rules to become a drummer.

    • What activities do you dream about doing?

    Dreamers | By Yuyi Morales

    Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story and how the public library helped her feel like she belonged.
    • What do you think of when you hear the word dreamers?

    The Day You Begin | By Jacqueline Woodson

    This book is about finding the courage to connect with people when you feel scared.

    • Have you ever walked into a room where no one was quite like you?
    • How did this make you feel?

    I Love Saturdays y Domingos | By Alma Flor Ada

    On Saturdays, a young girl visits her grandparents who have a European-American background. On Saturdays, she visits her abuelita and abuelito who are Mexican-American. She details what she does with each grandparent while visiting.

    • Why do you think the little girl did different things with her grandparents?

    I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark" | By Debbie Levy

    This book details the achievements of the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

    • What is something you said no to because you knew it was wrong? 

    For additional activities related to Debbie Levy's book visit the following worksheet. 

    Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos | By Monica Brown

    This book is about the artist Frida Kahlo and her pets that inspired her.

    • What inspires you? 

    Sitti’s Secrets | By Naomi Shihab Nye

    This story is about a child  from the United States who visits her grandmother in Palestine and finds that love transcends language barriers, time zones, and national borders.

    • How can you see people for who they are as individuals like how Mona sees her grandmother as separate from what she sees on the news?
    • What can you do to fight for Palestinians and Palestinian justice?

    For more activities related to this video, view our worksheet!

    Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border | By Mitali Perkins

    This book is about a girl and her family visiting her grandmother at the Mexican border. She has to figure out how to give her grandmother her Christmas presents because they do not fit through the fence.

    • Have you ever been away from someone for Christmas?

    For more activities related to this book visit this sheet.

    Are You a Boy or a Girl? | By Sarah Savage and Fox Fisher

    Tiny prefers not to tell people if they are a boy or a girl. When Tiny starts a new school, they start getting questioned about their gender identity.

    • How are girls and boys different?
    • Does it matter if Tiny is a boy or a girl?
    • What would you ask Tiny if you met them?

    Rachel's Christmas Boat | Sophie LaBelle

    Lulu's Dad tells her that she is going to change her name to Rachel. Lulu is worried that Santa will not find out about her name change in time to fix the tags on Rachel's presents. Lulu and her friend go on an adventure to find Santa to let him know about her Dad's new name.

    • Do you ever give presents to your friends and family?
    • Do you ever make them presents?
    • How do you feel when they open the presents you got them?

    Too Many Tamales | By Gary Soto

    It is Christmas Eve and Maria is making tamales with her mother. Maria decides to put her mother’s ring on while she is making the tamales. She ends up losing the ring and asks her cousins to help her eat all of the tamales in order to find the ring. 

    • What lesson did Maria learn in this story?

    For additional resources visit this worksheet

    When the Shadbush Blooms | By Carla Messinger

    Read along with OEP! While you follow along ask yourself the following: 

    • Which season is your favorite?
    • What activities do you and your family do during that season?
    • Why are those activities special to you?

    For additional resources related to Messinger's book visit the link here.

    Dear Juno | By Soyung Pak

    Juno and his grandmother write letters to each other in order to keep in touch. Juno’s grandmother lives in a different country and writes in a different language that Juno does not understand. They overcome this language barrier by drawing pictures in their letters.

    • Do you have someone that you would like to send a letter to?

    For additional resources and activities related to this book, visit this link

    Honeysmoke: A Story of Finding Your Color | By Monique Fields

    A biracial girl named Simone embarks on a journey to find her own color.

    • What is your color word?

    For additional resources and activities related to this book, visit this link.

    Mae Among the Stars | By Roda Ahmed

    This book is based on the story of Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space.

    • What do you want to be when you grow up?
    • What kind of dreams do you have for the future?
    • Do you ever draw pictures of what you want to be and put it on your wall?

    Bunheads | By Misty Copeland

    This book was inspired by Misty Copeland’s experience as a young girl in ballet. On Misty’s first day of ballet class, she learns about the ballet Coppélia and decides to try out for the role of Swanilda. Misty and her classmates work together to put on a show to remember.

    • How did Misty’s classmates help her achieve her goal?
    • Why is it important to work together? 

    When God Made You | By Matthew Paul Turner

    This story encourages children to embrace the unique characteristics God gave them.

    Baba, What Does My Name Mean?: A Journey to Palestine | By Rifk Ebeid

     A young girl asks her father about the meaning behind her name.

    • What are some things you family has told you about your history? 
    • Why is it important to you to know about your history?

    Ira's Shakespeare Dream | By Glenda Armand

    This book is about Ira Aldridge, an African American actor who overcame racism to become one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of the 1800s.

    • Have you had anything in your life that has captured your imagination?

    Catching the Moon | By Crystal Hubbard

    This books is based on the childhood of Marcenia Lyle Alberga, the first African American woman to play for an all-male professional baseball team.

    • What sports do you like to play?

    Gloria's Voice: The Story of Gloria Steinem--Feminist, Activist, Leader | By Aura Lewis

    This book details the life of Gloria Steinem, who played a major role in the U.S. feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

    • Do you have a woman in your life that inspires you or you look up to?
    • What did you think about the quote in the beginning of the book?

     


  • Anti-Racist Book List for Young Adults

    Following the Raising Race-Conscious Kids webinar series this summer, I began to look for more books about race-consciousness and antiracism. I came across a book called Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. I found the book to be very informative and later discovered that Marie Benner-Rhoades, OEP’s Youth and Young Adult Director, and Laura Hay, the Youth and Young Adult Intern, had also read the young adult edition of the book. For the Read Aloud Project and blog series, I have mostly been focusing on picture books and other resources for younger children (pre K-5). So, I wanted to create a book list for middle school and high school children. Here are five books about antiracism for young adults:

    Stamped: Racism. Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi


    The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited. Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.”

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  • Read Aloud Project: December Books

    The Read Aloud Project was created by Priscilla Weddle and Marie Benner-Rhoades to provide homeschooling resources in peace and justice during the pandemic. For December, the project highlighted books about Christmas. In January, books about new beginnings will be read. If you are interested in recording a video for the project, please email Priscilla at [email protected]. Here are the books that were read for the project in December:

    Hey, Wall: A Story of Art and Community by Susan Verde

    Summary: “There is a wall in Ángel’s neighborhood. Around it, the community bustles with life: music, dancing, laughing. Not the wall. It is bleak. One boy decides to change that. But he can’t do it alone.”

    Reflective Question: Is there something in your community that you can work on to make beautiful?

    YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7mPbucREas&list=PLF8eTiKnYWzyfmdio08rh1bnDcGDHaXsQ&index=71&t=1s

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  • The Read Aloud Project's Most Viewed Videos of 2020

    The Read Aloud Project has been going on since March of 2020. As of December 16, there have been 75 read aloud videos posted on On Earth Peace’s Facebook page. I went through the videos to see which ones had the most views. Our top five videos had a combined total of over 2,000 views. Here were the project’s most viewed videos in 2020:

    1. Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima

    Total views on Facebook: 534

    Summary: “Harriet loves costumes. She wears them to the dentist, to the supermarket, and most importantly, to her super-special dress-up birthday party. Her dads have decorated everything for the party and Harriet has her most favorite costume all picked out for the big day. There’s just one thing missing—party hats! But when Harriet dons her special penguin errand-running costume and sets out to find the perfect ones, she finds something else instead—real penguins! Harriet gets carried away with the flock. She may look like a penguin, but she’s not so sure she belongs in the arctic. Can Harriet manage her way back to her dads (and the party hats!) in time for her special day?”

    Reflective Question: Have you ever gotten carried away?

    YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eBQHNXbN9M&list=PLF8eTiKnYWzyfmdio08rh1bnDcGDHaXsQ&index=19

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  • Multicultural Children's Books About Christmas

    Reading holiday books on Christmas Eve was always a tradition that I enjoyed growing up. With Christmas right around the corner, I wanted to make a list of Christmas books that had characters from different backgrounds. Hopefully, this list will give people ideas on what books to read or buy next for the children in their lives. Here is the list: 

    Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manzano

    "It’s Christmas Eve and Mami has bought a delicious roast for a Christmas feast. But, oh no! It’s too big to fit in the oven. Jose and Papa need to find an oven big enough to cook Mami’s roast. As they walk from door to door through their apartment building, no one seems to be in the Christmas spirit. So they head down the street to find someone willing to help, and only when they do, lo and behold, the scent—the magical smell—of dinner begins to spread, and holiday cheer manifests in ways most unexpected."

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  • Read Aloud Project: November Books

    The Read Aloud Project was created by Priscilla Weddle and Marie Benner-Rhoades to provide homeschooling resources in peace and justice during the pandemic. For November, the project highlighted books about Native American culture to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. In December, holiday books will be read for the project. If you are interested in recording a video for the project, please email Priscilla at [email protected]. Here are the books that were read for the project in November:

     

    Today On Election Day by Catherine Stier, Illustrated by David Leonard

    Summary: “The school gym is a polling place and Bailey, Ren, David, Meg, Aiden, and Isabella know all about Election Day and voting! Bailey helped her Aunt Julia run for a seat on the city council. Aiden goes with his grandpa to vote. David’s brother Jake will be voting for the first time. Meg talks about how years ago, some citizens were not permitted to vote. A perfect picture book for future voters of America, Today on Election Day will simultaneously entertain and educate.”

    Reflective Question: What are some qualities you look for in candidates?

    Worksheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JJbgDKqK9U_wEWikEFJMDvNHMvPD9sqYXKI9ypQfIN4/edit?usp=sharing

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  • Contemporary Native Literature

    On November 12th, I attended a webinar hosted by Lee & Low Books about contemporary Native American children’s literature and educational resources. The guest speakers were Traci Sorell, author of Indian No More, and Carla Messinger, author of When the Shadbush Blooms. For the first part of the webinar, Sorell and Messinger talked about the meaning behind their books. Sorell’s book Indian No More is based on a true story about a 10 year old Umpqua girl and her family being forced to relocate to a different reservation after their tribal rights are terminated in the 1950s. Messinger’s book When the Shadbush Blooms discusses the past and present lives of the Lenape people. When discussing the importance of her book, Messinger provided a shocking statistic showing how 40 percent of Americans think that Native Americans do not exist or are extinct. For this very reason, Sorell and Messinger believe it is important to read children’s books that highlight the present lives of Native people.

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  • White Privilege Symposium 2020

    Written by Tamera Shaw and Priscilla Weddle

    Overview of Symposium

    Priscilla Weddle, the Children’s Peace Formation Organizer, and Tamera Shaw, one of the Racial Justice Organizers, attended the The White Symposium Iowa 2020 this year. It was held on November 6-7 via Zoom. The symposium was founded and is owned by Dr. Eddie Moore Jr; it centers on antiracism, equity, liberation, and justice. This year, there were 30 engaging workshops offered and four keynotes: Bettina Love, Wade Antonio-Colwell and Benjie Howard, Jane K. Fernandez, and Jennifer Harvey. Earlier this year, Priscilla and Tamera led a Raising Race Conscious Kids Webinar with Grace Cook-Huffman, Racial Justice Organizer, and Laura Hay, Youth and Young Adult Organizer that was based off of Jennifer Harvey’s Raising White Kids. They were both excited to hear her speak during this symposium. 

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  • Documentaries & Docuseries About Peace, Courage, & Justice

    For this blog series, I have been focusing on the importance of books in developing children’s peace skills. However, movies and tv shows can also play a significant role in teaching children skills. I wanted to create a list of documentaries and docuseries that both children and adults would enjoy watching. The documentaries and docuseries I chose are about peace, courage and justice. Here are my recommendations:

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  • published StoryCycles in Blog 2020-11-04 11:17:12 -0500

    StoryCycles

    On October 22nd, I attended an Embrace Race webinar called “Using Books to Engage Young Children in Talk about Race and Justice.” Savitha Moorthy, Sara Rizik-Baer, and Aija Simmons of Tandem Bay Area were the guest speakers. Tandem is a nonprofit organization that has a mission of “engaging the whole community to ensure all families have the resources, skills, and confidence they need to support their children’s kindergarten readiness” (Tandem, 2019). Moorthy, Rizik-Baer, and Simmons were invited to speak by Embrace Race to talk about their new StoryCycles program. The StoryCycles program “provides families with the access they need to high-quality children’s books and also provides information to parents and educators on how to make the most of each book-sharing opportunity” (Tandem, 2019). 

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  • Read Aloud Project: October Books

    The Read Aloud Project was created by Priscilla Weddle and Marie Benner-Rhoades to provide homeschooling resources in peace and justice during the pandemic. For October, the project highlighted books about peace skills and Hispanic culture. In November, the project will highlight books about Native American culture to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. If you are interested in recording a video for the project, please email Priscilla at [email protected]. Here are the books that were read for the project in October:

    Mama’s Nightingale:A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat, Illustrated by Leslie Staub

    Summary: “After Saya’s mother is sent to an immigration detention center, Saya finds comfort in listening to her mother’s warm greeting on their answering machine. To ease the distance between them while she is in jail, Mama begins sending Saya bedtime stories inspired by Haitian folklore on cassette tape. Moved by her mother’s tales and her father’s attempts to reunite their family, Saya writes a story of her own—one that just might bring her mother home for good.”

    Reflective Question: If you have any friends or family who are immigrants, what are some ways you can support them? How can you be a friend and support immigrants in your community?

    Worksheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_AZEHFe-Vxwhvof28o4kYqNz5apdwY5-7K6PDjxagLY/edit?usp=sharing

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  • Children's Books About the Birmingham Campaign

    In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. and members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference began their campaign to desegregate Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham was viewed as one of the most segregated cities in the country and demonstrations were outlawed. King would later be arrested for being involved in a non-violent demonstration, which led him to write “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” The story of King’s arrest and letter is well-known, however, many may not know about the vital role children played in the Birmingham Campaign. Thousands of children joined the Children’s Crusade to protest segregation and were met with force by Birmingham’s police force. Even though they were being attacked, the children continued to march. Many children ended up being arrested and stories of their march made headlines around the country. Their courageous actions pushed officials in Birmingham to meet with civil rights leaders and desegregate the city.  I wanted to create a list of books about the Children's Crusade to show children that they can be actively engaged in social justice and make a difference in the world. Here is the list:

    Grades: Kindergarten-5

    The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, A Young Civil Rights Activist  by Cynthia Levinson

    Nine-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks intended to go places and do things like anybody else. So when she heard grown-ups talk about wiping out Birmingham’s segregation laws, she spoke up. As she listened to the preacher’s words, smooth as glass, she sat up tall. And when she heard the plan—picket those white stores! March to protest those unfair laws! Fill the jails!—she stepped right up and said, I’ll do it! She was going to j-a-a-il! Audrey Faye Hendricks was confident and bold and brave as can be, and hers is the remarkable and inspiring story of one child’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.

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