ROOTS

Rising Out Of Two Stories
Ages 6-10 (Children)

My Name, My Story

​Intended Outcome: Children begin forming a foundation for racial identity by exploring their own name and story.

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• Helps children affirm where they come from, centering pride over uncertainty.

• Introduces tools for self-expression and builds confidence in using their voice.

• Encourages curiosity and empathy by sharing and listening to others’ stories.

• Begins the practice of naming identity as something both personal and powerful.

​What I Look Like - Colors & Features

​Intended Outcome: Children begin to explore physical characteristics—skin tone, hair, eye color—as affirming parts of their racial identity.

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• Helps children identify and describe their features with pride rather than confusion or shame.

• Introduces gentle language for celebrating differences within themselves, their families, and their communities.

• Builds understanding that race includes how we look—but doesn’t define who we are.

• Supports positive racial mirroring and representation through art, books, and images.

​My Family, My History

​Intended Outcome: Children begin understanding how their family background shapes their identity and experience.

 

• Helps children recognize the uniqueness and value of their multiracial family structure.

• Introduces storytelling and mapping to visualize cultural and familial connections.

• Encourages pride in both sides of their heritage—without having to choose one over the other.

• Begins conversations about family similarities and differences as something to be honored, not hidden.

​What is Race?

​Intended Outcome: Children gain a foundational understanding of what race is and how it affects their experiences and relationships.

 

• Provides a gentle introduction to the concept of race using age-appropriate language and visuals.

• Helps children understand that race is something we notice, but not something that determines someone’s worth.

• Creates space for children to ask questions about skin color, hair texture, and cultural traditions.

• Builds the groundwork for conversations about fairness, difference, and justice in later sessions.

​Feelings About Fairness

​Intended Outcome: Children begin to recognize and name feelings that arise when they notice unfairness—toward themselves, others, or in the world around them.

 

• Encourages children to talk about fairness in everyday life, like school, home, and friendships.

• Helps build emotional vocabulary for feelings like anger, confusion, sadness, and injustice.

• Introduces the idea that fairness isn’t always sameness, and that different needs may require different support.

• Fosters early critical thinking about equity and kindness through games and guided discussion.

​Seeing Difference in the World

​Intended Outcome: Children learn to observe, name, and reflect on differences they see in people, communities, and environments—without attaching judgment.

 

• Encourages curiosity and openness when noticing differences in appearance, language, customs, and family structures.

• Supports respectful language and curiosity over silence or avoidance.

• Builds confidence in asking questions and making meaning out of difference.

• Helps children begin separating bias or stereotype from real lived experience.

​What People Say (and Don't Say)

​Intended Outcome: Children begin to explore how words, silence, and tone shape their understanding of race, belonging, and identity.

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• Helps children recognize common racialized phrases, questions, and microaggressions—even those that sound “nice.”

• Encourages safe discussion about confusing or hurtful things they’ve heard (or haven’t heard) from family, peers, or adults.

• Teaches that what people don’t say—silence, avoidance, discomfort—also sends messages.

• Equips children with gentle language to ask questions or express confusion without shame.

​When I Feel Left Out

Intended Outcome: Children explore moments when they’ve felt excluded or different and begin building language and confidence to express those feelings.

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• Helps children name experiences of being left out at school, in family conversations, or among peers.

• Encourages emotional safety through storytelling, drawing, and group sharing.

• Supports children in recognizing that their feelings are valid and often shared by others.

• Begins to equip children with tools to speak up, seek support, and reclaim space.

​Asking Questions, Telling Truths

​Intended Outcome: Children gain confidence in asking questions about race, difference, and identity, while learning to share their own truths with honesty and respect.

 

• Encourages curiosity as a strength, not a problem.

• Helps children practice asking questions kindly and answering with care.

• Normalizes uncertainty, learning, and exploration.

• Builds confidence in using their voice to tell the truth of their experience.

​Brave Bodies, Brave Words

Intended Outcome: Children learn to recognize signals in their bodies when they feel unsafe, confused, or proud—and use their words to express and protect themselves.

 

• Builds body awareness as a trusted tool for navigating emotion and environment.

• Teaches children to name when they feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or excluded.

• Supports early boundary-setting through age-appropriate language and scenarios.

• Reinforces that speaking up for yourself or others is an act of courage and care.

I Belong in More Than One Place

​Intended Outcome: Children explore the idea that they can belong to multiple people, places, cultures, and communities—and that all of those identities are real and valid.

 

• Reinforces the concept of both/and identity rather than either/or.

• Helps children notice and name spaces where they feel welcomed and safe.

• Encourages pride in their ability to move between worlds with integrity.

• Offers affirming language and visuals that reflect their experience.

Art & Music That Look Like Me

​Intended Outcome: Children connect with art, music, and cultural stories that reflect their identity and lived experience.

 

• Introduces children to diverse cultural expression through music, stories, and visual art.

• Reinforces that beauty, creativity, and identity can be reflected in many ways.

• Helps children see themselves in history, culture, and the creative world.

• Fosters pride and joy through exposure to artists, authors, and musicians who look like them or share similar stories.

Who Keeps Me Safe?

​Intended Outcome: Children identify the people, spaces, and tools that help them feel safe, supported, and seen in their full identity.

 

• Encourages reflection on what safety feels like and how to recognize it.

• Helps children name trusted adults and spaces where they feel most themselves.

• Introduces emotional safety and boundaries as ongoing practices.

• Empowers children to seek support when needed and advocate for what helps them feel secure.

What Makes Me Proud

​Intended Outcome: Children identify the aspects of their identity, culture, and personality that bring them pride—and learn to celebrate them out loud.

 

• Encourages children to name specific things they love about themselves and their identity.

• Builds confidence through group sharing and affirmation.

• Explores cultural pride, personal talents, and family stories as sources of strength.

• Reinforces that pride is not arrogance—it’s a healthy expression of belonging and joy.

​Celebration & Sharing Circle

​Intended Outcome: Children reflect on their journey, celebrate their growth, and share their identity stories in community.

 

• Helps children recognize how much they’ve learned and grown over the 15 weeks.

• Provides space to share their voice, artwork, stories, and pride in a safe, affirming group.

• Reinforces that identity is not a finished product, but an evolving and beautiful process.

• Closes the program with joy, ritual, and community support—so children feel witnessed, validated, and celebrated.