Listening, Education, and Support

Educating Ourselves About Police Accountability & Funding
The Portland African American Leadership Forum has teamed up with Unite Oregon to articulate demands for change regarding the Portland Police Bureau. You can read an analysis from PAALF here, and see details of the campaign here. 

Reconstructing Judaism: Standing Up for Racial Justice & Against Racial Violence
Read RJ's statement on the death of George Floyd and the protests here.

Listening to Jews of Color
Be’chol Lashon
13 Jews of Color to Follow Right Now
I’m a black rabbi. I’ve never been in a Jewish space where I wasn’t questioned
Black Jews Are Grieving, and We Need You to Help Us Mourn​​​​​​​  
‘Believe us’: Black Jews respond to the George Floyd protests, in their own words  
Jews of Color and the Policing of White Space​​​​​​​ 
 

Recent article in Medium by Havurahnik Emily Weltman – open to talking with folks about white - and specifically Jewish - privilege, fear, and blindspots.
 

From Sandy Bacharach:

This moment is about practicing with our own words. It's not a one time conversation. This is an ongoing dialogue — for our nation and within our families and with our children.
 

Questions to consider:

• What is your why? Why is it important for you to talk to your kids about race?
• What are you afraid of?
• What are you afraid will happen when you talk to your kids about race? What's at stake? What will happen if you don't?
• What race are your peers? Your kids' peers?
• Have you taken your child/ren to a rally/protest? Why/why not? What does the in/action teach your children about social action?
• Are the books you read with Black people and people of color in them only in relation to civil rights or are they just regular people/kids doing regular things?
• What were your experiences growing up around race? How did your parents talk to you about race? What was the impact?
• What is the last conversation you had with your child/ren about race/racism/privilege/culture etc.? What prompted that conversation? What did you take away from that conversation? If you haven’t had one yet, what is stopping you or what support would you need to engage that conversation?
• Listening to Jews of Color
  • https://globaljews.org/
  • https://www.kveller.com/13-jews-of-color-to-follow-on-social-media-right-now/
• ‘Video - https://youtu.be/sBuGmxSrcdg Kali Thorne-Ladd is the Executive Director of KairosPDX, a non-profit organization focused on delivering excellent, equitable education to underserved children… “It was moving to hear her speak about her own children. And to be reminded how much we model for our kids: how "they are watching what we do and don't do - and what we say and don't say." That when we stay silent about racism that is a data point for them. She says she is hopeful despite the pain of this moment, because she has studied neuroscience and child brain development, and she knows that by changing the narrative we can affect neural pathways in our children's minds as they develop their worldview.” - from Holly Telerant
• Fabulous, succinct list of books, toys, studies and articles for families, children, and adults https://www.prettygooddesign.org/blog/Blog%20Post%20Title%20One-5new4
• For another list of anti-racist books to share with your children, here is a link from Molly Sloan, Portland Jewish Academy librarian.
• Care Not Cops
• Don't Shoot Portland
• Unite Oregon
• Black owned businesses and media outlets, social justice organizations, workshops and many books for adults and children - resources available here, compiled by Michael Hyde from PJA.
• https://blacklivesmatteratschool.com/teaching-materials/
• 15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing, and Protest
  • https://mobile.edweek.org/c.jsp?cid=25920011&item=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.edweek.org%2Fv1%2Fblogs%2F83%2F%3Fuuid%3D80831
• Written for white children, Not My Idea by Anastasia Higginbotham tackles the tough realities of racism and explains why white people should care. The title, Not My Idea, comes from the defensiveness can arise when we white folks are confronted with our own privilege — no, racism and police violence were not our idea, but we still have a role to play in ending them. 7 years old and up.
• https://feministbooksforkids.com/police-brutality-books/ includes books for children ages 8-15, including some Middle Grade reading suggestions
• https://childrensalliance.org/resource/talking-about-racism-resources-parents-and-caregivers
• Articles on Whiteness, White Supremacy, and White Fragility https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1IZZiHxsgBPTfaGUUTxM40wJOlM9UY0IQ4ffkJ6JRIiY/mobilebasic?fbclid=IwAR3f8bQvw1jddNkq0_7lOAbrPZLXyD22FVWWR-nDHBYbGJJzdCIPYsWIqXA
• Teaching Tolerance - https://www.tolerance.org/

Ideas for Kids

Things you can do from Leyah Boussi (Grade 6 Shabbat School) and her friends:

1. Make a sign about standing up to racism and put it in your window.
2. Go to protests or make your own protest.
3. Read Books about racism.
4. Talk to your family members and make sure they are going to vote.
5. Draw with chalk outside your house or apartment messages about stopping racism and helping each other out.
6. Talk to people you know about racism and how it is messing up our country.
7. If you are on social media then create posts about Black Lives Matter and like other peoples posts about Black Lives Matter.
8. Write a letter to a politician asking them to work harder on solving racism.
9. Hold a fundraiser and give the money to an organization run by people of color.
10. Use your allowance at a black owned business or restaurant and ask your parents to spend their money there.
11. Spread as much love as you can.

AND a whole little book about children organizing a protest that Leyah and her friends wrote after organizing a protest in front of their school, with 750+ people
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AeJ3q0wXWlQYKM3PuYfsf3LNyit8h-BN/view?usp=sharing

Conversation Starters

Short clips to watch with your children

• A 12-year-old gospel singer named Keedron Bryant posted an original song about the realities of being a young black man. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAtM4MCgEdN/?utm_source=ig_embed
• A Kid's Book about Racism, by Jelani Memory https://safeYouTube.net/w/M1C."