COVER YWCA Boulder County is celebrating 10 years of Reading to End Racism, a program that sends volunteers into schools to read about and discuss diversity and inclusion. All images courtesy: YWCA
Kids see the disparities, discrimination, prejudice. They’re like, ‘That’s not right, we’re gonna do better.’
2) How have the books you’re reading changed over the years?
We are getting more authors of color, illustrators of color. Within the last five years, especially since [the murder of] George Floyd, our literature has become more intentional and anti-racist. I also believe people are seeking more education and resources; people are more aware and being more intentional so that we can have a better society and world for our kids.
‘POSSIBILITY AND POWER’ YWCA’s Reading to End Racism celebrates decade of promoting inclusion in classrooms BY SHAY CASTLE
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wenty-five years ago, a group of retired teachers decided to do something about the racial discrimination and bullying they saw in their classrooms. So they founded Reading to End Racism (RER), a program that sends volunteers into schools to share stories and lead conversations about the importance of diversity, inclusion, kindness and active intervention. YWCA Boulder County first supported RER by providing office space. In 2013, the program was formally adopted, and volunteers began reading books and holding discussions with elementary school students throughout Boulder Valley School District (BVSD). “It aligned with our mission,” says YWCA’s Director of Community Engagement and Equity Shiquita Yarbrough. The organization’s mission is twofold: Empower women and end racism. “Those stories are very important because kids relate to them,” 10
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Yarbrough says. “When they can relate, they’ll listen.” In the 10 years since RER was implemented locally, more than 29,000 BVSD students have participated. To mark the anniversary, YWCA is hosting program founder Daniel Escalante at the Boulder Public Library on Nov. 27. Boulder Weekly asked Yarbrough 10 questions about books, beliefs and having hard conversations. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
3) What understanding do children have of issues like race? Chinese culture or Japanese internment. Volunteers bring out books they feel are impactful and they can relate to themselves — and also what teachers may request. We talk about the characters in the book and the key lessons. A lot of times, it’s the Golden Rule or how to be kind, why bullying is bad, how to be more inclusive, how to appreciate and celebrate diversity. Sometimes we do activities.
The younger they are, they understand there’s diversity in the classroom. If they get a student who doesn’t look like them, who dresses differently, who may have an accent — those kids understand the difference in skin color. The older they get, they can understand the difference in how they’re being treated. Being out on the playground and all kids play together but then one student of color never gets invited to play, never gets chosen. Or in the lunchroom. A lot of times, students will tell me those things.
1) How do you pick the books?
It’s volunteer-driven. Sometimes it depends on timing. If it’s Indigenous People’s Month or AAPI [Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage] Month, we try to lift that up, celebrate those diversities. A lot of times it depends on what the theme is in the classroom at the moment: if they’re learning about BOULDER WEEKLY
