How to talk with kids about race

This month we’ve seen many special events marking five years since the murder of George Floyd.  He died on Memorial Day after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than 9 minutes during an arrest.  What followed was chaos and many uncomfortable conversations about race. In 2021, MPR launched a podcast called Early Risers to help parents talk to kids about race. It was created in partnership with Little Moments Count, which is a collaborative of organizations working to improve interactions between parents and their children. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the original host of the Early Risers podcast, Dianne Haulcy, and the current host, Andre Dukes.  She asked them how it’s going, and if we have made progress in engaging children in conversations about race. Guests: Dianne Haulcy hosted Early Risers until 2024. She is now the assistant commissioner of early childhood at the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Andre Dukes is the current host of Early Risers. He has spent the last decade of his career focused on child development and academic success in north Minneapolis. He is also the vice president of Family and Community Impact at Northside Achievement Zone, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.