“It is the moral and ethical responsibility of early childhood educators—now more than ever before—to provide curricular and pedagogical opportunities for young children to feel safe engaging in meaningful conversations that challenge whiteness and assert anti-racism as the norm in and beyond early childhood classrooms. And that is exactly what this co-edited volume achieves!”
—From the Foreword by Nathaniel Bryan, associate professor of early childhood education, The University of Texas at Austin
“Anti-Racism in Early Childhood Education is a powerful, unique, creative, and courageous work. Maintaining an authentic commitment to racial justice and eradicating systemic racism requires that our efforts begin with early childhood education in schools, homes, and local communities. This book offers a nuanced understanding of the issues at stake as it challenges dominant approaches to early childhood education, amplifies the saliency of anti-racism in the early years, and creates ethical and inclusive learning environments. Additionally, the work contains practical anti-racist teaching strategies. One of its chief strengths, however, lies in the diverse group of contributors coming from different geo-spaces, academic backgrounds, and rich educational experiences. All the writers bring passion and commitment to making this work stand out as a must-read not only for educators, teacher educators, and school administrators, but also for policymakers, parents, and community workers. This is a brilliant and captivating contribution to the existing literature.”
—George J. Sefa Dei, professor of social justice education and director of the Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies, OISE, University of Toronto
“Early childhood educators should welcome and embrace this powerful book, which not only calls out the dominance of whiteness in theories, instructional practices, and policies, but offers healing remedies. We tell young children that lying is wrong; yet, educators lie to children every time we say we do not see color. This book invites educators to engage in transformative truth telling that children deserve.”
—Gloria Swindler Boutte, Carolina Distinguished Professor, University of South Carolina
“This bold and timely edited volume by Escayg, Faragó, and Husband arrives at a pivotal moment, as justice and fundamental human rights face increasing challenges. Each chapter offers a trove of practical insights for readers—particularly early childhood educators, leaders, and advocates—guiding them beyond superficial gestures toward meaningful, action-oriented efforts to confront and dismantle anti-Black racism within early education settings, schools, and family engagement. The book calls for a foundation rooted in honesty, truth, and humility as the essential starting point for lasting change.”
—Iheoma U. Iruka, professor, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founding director of the Equity Research Action Coalition, and coauthor of We Are the Change We Seek
