Teach Your Children Well

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Learning about human rights and internalizing that everyone deserves dignity, that all of us are equal and that our rights must be acknowledged and protected, is a process that begins early and lasts a lifetime. The sooner it begins, the longer it lives and the louder it resounds. 

Remembering that children are never too young to lead inspires us to provide tools for adults and children to come together to teach and learn engaging in dialogue and actions about issues that matter. Through education, conversation and action we can help our children leverage their power to drive meaningful change. 

Read Together

  • Here is a list of immigrant-focused books for children
  • For juveniles and young adults

Listen Together

  • Celebrate immigrant communities through music.
    • The Library of Congress has collected songs of immigration and migration that chart the nation’s history from the ‘discovery’ of America by Christopher Columbus to the post-Civil Rights era.
    • Flushing Town Hall in Queens, NY hosts a series of concerts representing music across the world Global Mashups. Performance videos are available on their YouTube page.
    • KEXP in Seattle has a series called Immigrant Songs where they interview and record performances by immigrant musicians across the globe.
  • Hear immigrant stories through kid-friendly podcasts.

Watch Together

  • Find your next binge watch with these lovable immigrant narratives.
  • Lose yourself in a movie about the immigrant experience.
  • Bring immigration lessons to kids with these documentaries.

Cook Together

  • Cooking the food of immigrant communities is a tactile and fun way to learn about other cultures.
  • Any one of the recipes in these cookbooks are great. Think about sharing them with friends and family and doing a Zoom cookout. New American Economy has compiled diverse recipes designed and written by immigrant chefs living here.
  • Host a potluck
    • Why not take your kitchen to the park, where you can host an international potluck with a few friends who could bring a dish from a different country prepared with their children?

Study Together

  • For older children, take an online course together and use it as an opportunity to develop strong study habits.
  • Khan Academy has an excellent series on citizenship, what it means and its relationship to immigration.

Protest Together From Home

  • Today, when it is so difficult to be out in the word, we still need to take action. It is critical for kids to be able to vocalize frustration and anger and be given the space to do so.
  • Talk about the value of protesting and free expression.
    • This guide is a great starting point for working with young children.
    • This book is about talking with children about racial injustice.
  • The Smithsonian has a series of videos about the impact children and adolescents can have on elections and the direction of the nation.
  • The Youth Activism Project has an interactive guide for “YOUth ACTivism” to change designed for children.

Write To Your Elected Officials Together

  • Follow the instructions included in our 10 Actions You Can Take article, and do them with your children.

Sew a Socially Conscious Mask Together

  • Making face masks is a fun, useful, kid-friendly craft project.
  • Amplifier, a design lab, has free open-source designs related to immigration.
  • Here is a guide to sewing your own mask without a sewing machine.

Celebrate Diverse Holidays Together

  • Holidays offer an opportunity to introduce children to different cultures.
  • Celebrate December as a month of multicultural holidays.

Fundraise Together

  • Raise money for organizations that support immigrant youth and teach children about the value of supporting others.
  • Hold a socially distanced bake sale and ask for donations in return for baked goods left on people’s doorsteps. 
  • Make t-shirts together with designs from Amplifier or have children design their own tees inspired by discussions about the issues, and sell them in your community.
  • Here is a guide with more ideas and resources about getting busy and taking action together.