How to Talk to Your Kids About Race: Raising Anti-Racist Children with Isabel Cruz

How do you react when your child points out a difference in public? In this workshop-style episode of Dam Parenting, DEI advocate Isabel Cruz joins us to take a warm, honest, and direct look at raising culturally aware children in a diverse world. Living in the Netherlands offers a unique melting pot of cultures, but it also requires us to be intentional about how we discuss race, skin color, and heritage.

Isabel shares practical strategies for answering those "tricky" questions with honesty and compassion rather than hushed silence. We dive into a curated list of essential books—from Antiracist Baby to the works of Amsterdam’s own Mylo Freeman—and explore local resources like Colourful Goodies and the Bijlmer Bookstore. Whether you’re navigating a specific question or want to proactively build a more inclusive home library, this episode equips you with the tools to foster understanding and celebrate representation. It’s time to lean into the conversation.

Books to explore with your kids:

Antiracist Baby
Global Babies

All Are Welcome
Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race

I Walk with Vanessa

Saturday

Under My Hijab

My Family Your Family

Anything by Mylo Freeman (Instagram: ⁠@mylofreeman⁠)

Find some of these books at Monti's World - located in De Pijp, Amsterdam and other local stores like Colourful Goodies, Bijlmer Bookstore, and Indo Shop

Links:

This is a good article to share about why Mylo Freeman created the Princess Arabella series

Colourful Goodies in Noord specializes in books and dolls that offer a wide range of representation

Bijlmer Bookstore
Indo Shop
Kies Kleurig

For more on the Keti Koti celebration in Amsterdam, visit:: https://ketikotiamsterdam.nl/

Resources for parents to raise anti-racist children:

• Books:

• Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners: books for children and young adults

• 31 Children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance

• Podcasts:

• Parenting Forward podcast episode ‘Five Pandemic Parenting Lessons with Cindy Wang Brandt’

• Fare of the Free Child podcast

• Integrated Schools podcast episode “Raising White Kids with Jennifer Harvey”

• Articles:

• How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race | NPR

• Teaching Your Child About Black History Month | PBS

• Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup from Pretty Good