Start Lighthouse’s Woke Activists ‘Never too young to stand up against injustice’
Last month, Start Lighthouse launched its racial justice literacy program, Woke Activists at P.S. 5 Port Morris, an elementary and middle school located in the south Bronx. Woke Activists cultivates a safe space for students to discuss identity, racism and social justice in a developmentally appropriate and relevant way. At Start Lighthouse, we believe that it’s never too early for children to learn to stand up against injustice.
The program is split into six units which begins with Empathy, Identity, Community, and culminates with Justice, Activism and Action. Each unit contains comprehensive and engaging lessons that are aligned to Common Core State Standards. These lessons allow children to explore themselves deeply as well as build a sense of connectivity with the world around them. Culturally responsive literature is at the core of our Woke Activist curriculum, giving students the opportunity to explore different backgrounds and identities through literacy. Each lesson begins with a diverse and culturally responsive reading that serves as an entry point into the topic being discussed for the day. These books are read aloud by the teachers and volunteers allowing them to display exemplar reading strategies. This program has already had a profound impact on our students as showcased through their work and my conversations with teachers and volunteers overseeing the program.
According to fifth-grade teacher Ms. Santiago, the program has been really important to her because about 99% of her school is Black and Hispanic and is located in the inner city in an urban area in the South Bronx, this leaves a lot of work that can be done for this community. Ms. Santiago believes that our program teaches young children from an early stage how to care and create the change that they want to see in their communities. “The children love the program! They enjoy talking about their feelings and I think that the program gives them a way to make connections to their own lives,” she commented.
Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, a volunteer facilitator echoed these sentiments, she stated that the program really allows the children to focus on who they are as people, how they feel and what is important to them. “They are elementary schoolers! Who asks an elementary schooler what’s important to them? I love that the program does this,” she exclaimed. Start Lighthouse is thrilled by the receptiveness of the students to issues raised in our racial justice program.
It is incredible to see topics of such complexity being explored through the eyes of ten-year-olds. Kaitlyn emphasized that the matters raised in this racial justice program are issues she wished she had the opportunity to discuss at such a young age.
We are amazed by the work our Woke Activists are producing as well as the progress they are making as they embark on this expedition of racial justice and identity exploration. At Start Lighthouse we are aware that our children are the foundations of the future, by teaching them good values from an early stage, we are sowing seeds to plant a better world.
In such prominent times of division and hate, we are proud to present our racial justice program that highlights the importance of unison in a world that dwells on differences.
“It’s been really rewarding just to listen to them talk about these things and know that they have been given the ability to,” said Kaitlyn. One is never too young to be a Woke Activist!
