Our Commitment

Jeffco Public Schools is committed to continuing our mission of educating every student in an inclusive and welcoming environment free from racism and violence. We also encourage our community to have critical conversations about race and equity and become agents of change.

What You Can Do

We can start by educating ourselves more about race and racism. When adults are able to develop their understanding of race and racism, they can better support children in understanding these complex and emotional topics.

How To Use This Page

The following resources were gathered to support families and community members in understanding racism, talking about racism, and helping people who are impacted by racism. The first item in each section labeled "101" or with the family-friendly icon provides an introductory activity for families - a good starting point for the topic. The other resources listed go into more depth and detail about each subject.

 101: indicates introductory content
family-friendly content
  indicates family-friendly content

This list has been compiled as a living resource and will continue to be updated.

  • Reflect - resources that encourage critical thinking around the complex topic of equity, race, and racism. They address historical contexts and current events.

  • Discuss - resources that provide talking points, conversation starters, and "how to talk about racism" with both your family and community.

  • Heal - resources that help those who are impacted by racism.

reflect

 101: Family friendly IconBooks To Help You Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids - an article from the New York Times that shares a list of books by age levels emphasizing the fact that conversations about race need to start early and keep happening. 
 Watch: How To Overcome our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them - Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups.
 Listen: 1619 - a podcast tracing how slavery has transformed America to this day.             
 Read: Race and Racial Identity - the National Museum of African American History & Culture and the Smithsonian explores race, identity, power systems, privilege, disenfranchisement, and oppression.
 Do: How To Be An Antiracist - by Ibram X. Kendi. Reflect on these discussion questions in an effort to reshape the conversation about racial justice in America, and liberate new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. This article and this podcast based on the book are also good places to start.

discuss

 101: FF IconLet's Talk About Race: Starting Conversations with Kids and Teens - a curated list from Jefferson County Public Library with books and resources that encourage and navigate conversations about race and current events. For kids and teens. 
 Watch: Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity - a film that discusses the causes and consequences of systemic inequity. Includes downloadable conversation guide.
 Listen: How To Talk To Your Kids About Race, Racism And Police Violence - from WBUR, the founders of EmbraceRace.org, Christian Cooper, and Ishmail Abdus-Saboor discuss tips on how to have conversations with kids about race.
 Read: family-friendly contentGeorge Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement - helpful resources from the ADL to support families as they start these conversations.
 Do: family-friendly contentTalking About Race - a helpful guide for engaging in conversations with a variety of audiences about topics related to race.

HEAL and connect

 101: FF IconBlack History Movies that Tackle Racism  - an age-appropriate and sorted list from Common Sense Media that features movies that begin or continue essential conversations about race. Conversation starter prompts are included for each film.
 Watch: Black Mental Health Matters - how to cope during a time of social injustice, according to experts 
 Listen: Supporting Kids of Color in the Wake of Racialized Violence - audio presentation from embracerace.org in response to the 2016 events around the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. 
 Read: family-friendly contentUplifting Youth Through Healthy Communication About Race  -an initiative that supports learning and resilience and includes Books about Race and Ethnicity
 Do: Support the livelihoods, innovation, creativity and wisdom of members of our diverse community through shopping, donating, visiting, and sharing. Check out Colorado's Minority Business Directory to get started.

engage with us

The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team, as well as other departments in Jeffco, have strived to elevate the needs of historically underserved students and families through multiple methods at both the systemic and individual levels. 

We are advancing racial equity across Jeffco Public Schools through:

  • Policy enhancements
  • Professional learning on a variety topics related to equity and inclusion, such as restorative practices, educational equity, implicit bias, culturally responsive teaching, responding to slurs, and many others
  • School and departmental collaborations to deepen equity in practice
  • Advancing systemic and individualized support for employees of color
  • Student programming (such as Student Voice, Day Without Hate, workshops) and direct support
  • Community engagement efforts

Moving Issues To Action - Jeffco Student Voice

Jeffco Student Voice - an initiative that empowers high school students from diverse backgrounds with leadership, cultural awareness, teamwork and advocacy skills.

Day Without Hate

Day Without Hate is a student-led, grassroots organization that promotes nonviolence, unity, and respect in our schools and communities.

Community members can:

  • Share: If you come across outstanding resources to help people learn about race and racism, please let us know. We would love to hear from you!
  • Visit: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion webpage to learn more about our efforts and opportunities to engage.

Educators can:

other RESOURCES

logo image for National Museum of African American History and Culture Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture -The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture.
 NMAI Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian - A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex. The NMAI cares for one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego.
NAACP logo NAACP - The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
 The Kirwan Institute Kirwan Institute - An interdisciplinary research organization at The Ohio State University focused on connecting and educating the public, building the capacity of allied social justice organizations, and investing in efforts that support equity and inclusion.
Teaching Tolerance logo Teaching Tolerance – Our mission is to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy. Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators who work with children from kindergarten through high school..
ADL logo ADL - A leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all.
Safe2Tell logo Safe to Tell – An anonymous way for students, parents and community members to report unsafe and risky behaviors before they grow out of control. 1.877.542.7233.
We understand that this is not an exhaustive list, and these resources may not be linguistically accessible for everyone. If you would like additional resources please reach out to us at [email protected].

The contents of this website are for informational purposes only. Jeffco Public Schools assume no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions contained herein. The sources cited and linked in this document are not representatives of the District. Any views expressed by third party sites are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Jeffco Public Schools.

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