Raising Children as Little Allies? Join Us This Thursday, April 22nd!

The Diversity Movement is excited to announce our new partnership with inclusive leadership trainer Julie Kratz of Next Pivot Point. This week, Julie is launching a brand new children’s book, Little Allies, which teaches kids about inclusion, diversity, and how to be an ally.

At our book launch this Thursday, April 22nd at 12:00 noon, we’ll be chatting with Julie about her book and how to talk with children about DEI and allyship.

Who is @Julie Kratz ? 

Julie helps organizations maximize their revenues and innovation by creating inclusive and equitable workplace environments so that future generations will have the tools they need to understand differences and develop awareness of the systemic and structural inequities. In Julie’s words, she seeks to build a world in which her daughters will feel fully embraced, seen and heard. And, after nearly two decades of guiding businesses and leaders, she dreamt up Little Allies.

Little Allies is a beautifully illustrated book that teaches kids how to be allies. After seeing her classmates get bullied and discriminated against, Ally (the main character) learns from her teacher that our differences make each of us unique and important and that being an ally can help those who are excluded navigate the difficulties they face in their lives. The book is a valuable tool for sparking a conversation with your child about diversity, what it means to be an ally in a world where multiple forms of exclusion and discrimination exist, and how we can better celebrate our differences.

How This Partnership Benefits Our Community

Of course, The Diversity Movement works as a strategic partner to improve business results through a DEI lens. But, what our customers and clients learn through this work can also be applied at home and in their communities. 

Talking to children about diversity and inclusion, both early and often, is important, because it recognizes that children naturally notice differences in others and may be curious about what they observe. In fact, babies as young as six months can notice racial differences in the people around them, and by ages two to four, kids can begin to internalize and express racial bias. This means that starting the conversation about race with children is essential, even at an early age. 

Raising Little Allies 

Often, children may ask questions or make comments that seem inappropriate or offensive, although usually, those observations are born from curiosity and not judgment. Instead of shutting down or avoiding the conversation, it is more productive to teach children about the value of diversity, and give them the vocabulary to help others feel included. 

As Julie suggests, you can keep the conversation simple for kids under ten and begin to have more in-depth discussions when they’re a bit older. let your child express their thoughts freely, without judgment, and ask them questions to facilitate their thinking around diversity.

Interested in learning more? Join us on Thursday for the book’s premiere! 

Attendees at this live webinar and discussion will learn more about why we need to talk to kids about diversity and inclusion, with strategies for guiding and encouraging allyship. We hope you can join us and engage in the conversation. 

For more information and to register, click here. Little Allies is available on Amazon and through a vast number of local, independent, minority-owned bookshops. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from sales will be donated to an organization focused on children’s diversity and inclusion development or providing equitable access to opportunities for all children.

Noreen Quadir is a content writer, with a background in social activism and a passion in  advocating for diversity, inclusion, and equity. She writes for online blogs and publications,  social media, and websites.