Arapahoe Libraries was honored to host Janet Damon, educator, librarian, and literacy advocate, as she talked to parents and caregivers about how to use picture books to connect children to communities other than their own and to build joyful and authentic connections.
Cultural competence as defined by the American Psychological Association, opens a new window is the “ability to understand, appreciate and interact with people from cultures or belief systems different from one's own.” Why is it important for children to develop these skills? Being able to get along and collaborate with others is important not only for their educational and personal lives, but also for their later working lives. In a diverse world, those who have the ability to understand and communicate with people across cultures have an advantage and will feel more comfortable in multiple communities. See below for links to the studies, people and books mentioned in Ms. Damon's presentation. Watch the full presentation of Parenting Strategies: Building Cultural Competency in Children, opens a new window.
Books:
Books recommended by Janet Damon
Studies and Articles:
Coming Together: Family Reflections on Racism, opens a new window
In Search of Libertarians in America, opens a new window
Multicultural Children's Literature & Racism Resources, opens a new window
Social Media Resources:
Here Wee Read: @HereWeeRead, opens a new window @hereweread, opens a new window
Multicultural Children's Book Day: @ReadYourWorldMCBD, opens a new window @MCChildsBookDay, opens a new window
White Girl Learning: @WhiteGirlLearning, opens a new window @marlataviano, opens a new window
Brown Bookshelf: @BrownBookShelfTeam, opens a new window @brownbookshelf, opens a new window
Places/Organizations/Events:
Brother Jeff Cultural Center, opens a new window
Asian Girls Ignite, opens a new window
