May 3 is the Freedom To Learn National Day of Action, a day of advocacy for inclusive education and young people’s freedom to read, learn and build a just future. Our collective responsibility is to counter disinformation, uplift honest history and engage our communities to serve all children.
In our newest Q&A, author and educator Jamilah Pitts shares her thoughts on liberation education and recommendations from her new book, Toward Liberation. Teaching is undeniably difficult, and historically racist educational institutions make it harder. But Pitts offers a vision that leaves space for joy through a teaching practice that is liberatory rather than oppressive.
All young people—including LGBTQ+ youth and children of LGBTQ+ families—have the right to safe, affirming and inclusive schools; on this point, responsible adults agree. But currently, discriminatory laws and censorship policies across the country are targeting LGBTQ+ young people and families, erasing their histories and experiences. In our newest resource page, we’ve compiled numerous materials to help you support LGBTQ+ youth and families, as well as to understand, teach and celebrate LGBTQ+ history, stories and perspectives.
We can teach young people the honest history of the United States in age-appropriate ways and help them understand commonalities across cultures to develop a strong sense of self and identity as they honor diversity. To support these conversations and learning experiences, we offer parents, caregivers and educators teaching strategies, talking points and activities.
When it comes to investing in racial justice in education, we believe that the South is the best place to start. If you’re an educator, parent or caregiver, or community member living and working in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Mississippi, we’ll mail you a free introductory package of our resources when you join our community and subscribe to our magazine.