To share how we practice anti-racism as a white family, I need to first show you how I view anti-racism through the framework of Optimal Brain Growth.
There’s a very simple fact you need to know: YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN SEES PEOPLE’S COLORS.
From the moment a child is born (at least by 3 months when the visual system is developed), they *perceive & attend to* the physical features of people surrounding them. They differentiate between people based on facial features, hairlines, skin color, size, voice—and develop a preference for (or “unconscious bias” towards) those who seem similar or familiar. This is how the brain becomes enculturated—an expert of its own culture.
Want to know the BEAUTY of this perceptive, sensitive, adaptable brain? It learns according to what we present it with & how. When I present my child LOVINGLY with faces, voices, languages & music that are different from ours, they become familiar, interesting—BEAUTIFUL. (I’ll teach much more about how I do that, later—today is for understanding that it needs to be done).
This is important to understand, especially for those of us who are white parents or raising a white child. Why? Because it can feel uncomfortable talking about skin color, and our country’s history with race & justice. Many parents will unintentionally or intentionally avoid addressing these issues at home or with friends. Some will attempt to teach children “not to see color”, or will convince themselves that they don’t.
*But those efforts are not consistent with what we know about how the brain works*. The brain sees color, and develops preferences & biases based on how the world is presented to it.
Knowing how the brain works, what do we do? Here are 2 steps just to start: 1) allow your child to say what they see, honestly—embrace their brain’s perceptiveness & curiosity; 2) help them describe it ✨with interest and LOVE✨. Observe colors of people the way you observe colors in a painting, rhythms of music. LET IT BE BEAUTIFUL—IT IS!
What colors does your child see?