Program

Registration opens

Welcome

Welcome Dinner

Keynote Speaker: Hari Kondabolu

Breakfast

Why the Time is Right for Field-Building for Children's Racial Learning

Speakers from several professional sectors share their views on why healthy learning about race and racism matters for US children; what is known (and not yet known) about how to promote healthy racial learning; and, broadly, what the actual practice of racial socialization looks like today in the United States. What does research and experience tell us about when, how, and what children learn about race? To what degree has that knowledge shaped the way families, schools, and communities nurture children? Are there trends worth noting? Attendees will be invited to reflect and share their thoughts in response to the panel conversation.

Join your peers in children’s media, education, health, parenting, research, and others to reflect on the contributions and possibilities in a sector you identify with. How does the sector support healthy racial learning among children? Where do you see an opportunity for growth? What work, happening now, makes your eyes twinkle? What kinds of within-sector working partnerships are you part of? What kinds would you like to create?

Networking Lunch

Panelists from different sectors will share their ideas about the need for and possible goals of a cross-sectoral field of children’s racial learning, and on the efforts needed to bring the field fully to life. What potential building blocks are already in place? What would success look like and what milestones might we expect along the way? What kinds of strategies and initiatives do we need to achieve success? What do we do next? Attendees will be invited to reflect and share their thoughts in response to the panel conversation.

Join one of several concurrent sessions focused on key challenges in building a robust field of children’s racial learning: e.g., building strong relationships and robust community among us; identifying and lifting up key goals and programmatic priorities; creating and sustaining fresh working partnerships; protecting the safety and well-being of people and organizations engaged in this work; raising public awareness of children’s racial learning as a space in need of much more attention and resources; and supporting the expansion, dissemination, and practical use of "what we know" about children's racial learning and literacy.

Dinner

Panelists will consider what it means to forge ahead with the work of supporting children’s racial learning in a sociopolitical climate marked by polarized perspectives on social justice efforts and racist and xenophobic federal policies. In the face of opposition, how do we stand together to protect ourselves and each other, our work, and our livelihoods? How do we not only avoid ceding ground, but continue to make progress toward the future we envision? How do we find joy and build community as we resist and persist?

Connection Reception

Breakfast

What message frames are most likely to get others on board with our goals to support children’s learning about race and racism? Partners from the FrameWorks Institute will share some best practices for effective communication about children’s racial learning and literacy.

Participants are invited to join concurrent conversations focused on possible new initiatives that can propel the work of children’s racial learning to new heights. For example, what might the next, best iteration of the National Convening look like? How might we go about creating a powerful research-practice network that accelerates the development and widespread dissemination and use of tools to help adults nurture antiracist children? How can we communicate more effectively with the public about the huge stakes and inspiring possibilities of this work? What kind of resources and events would allow us to learn and work together more and better, within and across sectors? What compelling ideas can we generate together?

Closing

Farewell Lunch