Creating Brave and Safe Spaces to Address Racism and Bias

12/13/2023

Creating Brave and Safe Spaces to Address Racism and Bias

When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression, and war.
John Lewis, 1940-2020, politician and civil rights leader

"My upbringing taught me to respond to racist attacks and microaggressions with silence. Silence was the dignified answer. As I grew older and became an immigrant here in the USA, I quickly became aware that my silence was not helping me to become a better educator. Yet this silence was deeply affecting my wellbeing. My sense of self, my sense of identity, my integrity were being affected by this silence. My name is Olga Lacayo. I am Garifuna. I am Black. I am Indigenous. I am an immigrant, and I am an educator," shares Olga Lacayo, as she reads in English and Spanish from her dual language book, The Art of Troublemaking | El arte de crear problema.

Lacayo adds, "I will be sharing with you about my journey and my discoveries about the importance of creating brave and safe spaces to address racism and bias. I will also share a story from my classroom that sparked my own sense of resolve and desire to teach with integrity and authenticity and to bring my whole self into the classroom, with the idea of supporting children in feeling safe to ask their questions about their encounters with diversity. I also share my journey on reaching back to my ancestry so it could help me to reimagine my future and also the future that I want to help create for children."

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.