We commemorate this Fourth of July in the shadow of assaults on our human rights and bodily autonomy from those who do not uphold the values of democracy. We recognize that these efforts to strip away our rights are a backlash to positive social justice movements. Let us commit together to the movement for justice and democracy.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is October 11, 2021. We encourage you to uplift contemporary Indigenous cultures and histories by incorporating resources written by and about Indigenous peoples into your curriculum. In these LFJ resources, learn various ways to do this in your classroom—all year long.
Parents and caregivers must be intentional about the amount of content young people in their lives consume when it comes to gun violence, especially when such violence is motivated by extremism. Exposure to media coverage of these events should be accompanied by time for young people to reflect, discuss, ask questions and contextualize gun violence. These LFJ resources can provide additional understanding for these conversations.
July is Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month. We know school communities and policies that prioritize mental health literacy can create safer spaces where all young people can thrive—especially BIPOC students, who face disparities in mental health care. We hope you’ll commit to reducing stigma and advocating for policy change in your school, this month and year-round.
