How do you start the difficult conversation about racism with your child?

A few years ago, I had a difficult conversation with my son Erik about an incidence of racism that he experienced at school. As would be expected, it was painful. Talking about race is often so, particularly for Black people.

So when CBC Now or Never contacted me again to revisit the topic in light of recent events, I couldn’t say no.

This is a time in our history when we are experiencing the confluence of a pandemic and a heightened awareness about the existence of racism in society.

With the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent worldwide protests, the subject of race and racism has never been more urgent.

On this episode of Now or Never, I discuss having to speak to my boys about the recent events that led up to the protests, police brutality and profiling, and race in general. It wasn’t easy.

To read more about this discussion, and about the episode, check out the links below.

Rallies, Rest and Resilience | CBC Radio

Listen in on conversations with Black women who are processing what this moment in the fight against anti-Black racism means to them. Listen to the full episode [1:05:46] As protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality continue to happen across the country, in the United States, and all over the world, conversations about race are at the forefront now more than ever.

‘How come my skin is different?’: Answering kids’ questions about anti-Black racism | CBC Radio

Parents across Canada and around the world are trying to figure out how to talk about this moment with their children. But how do you explain anti-Black violence and systemic racism to a young child? Whether you’re prepared for these conversations or not, your kids are likely to ask you difficult questions.

The Unending Exhaustion of Being Black

These are trying times. The past few weeks have been physically and mentally exhausting, particularly for Black people. The sickening video of George Floyd being killed by the Minneapolis police was too much for many of us to bear.