Resources

• Foundations of Cultural Diversity
• Cross Cultural Communication
• Understanding Diverse Families
• Supporting Language Development
• Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children
• Resources that address multiple topics
• National Organizations and Projects: Publisher information for materials on cultural diversity
• Children's books addressing diversity

Foundations of Cultural Diversity

Websites

coAction
An organization that provides diversity and communication training to schools and organizations with the philosophy that a communication structure that honors the presence of multiple perspectives, generates shared meaning and supports the development of trust.
www.antiracism.com

The National Latino Children’s Institute
The National Latino Children’s Institute (NLCI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that focuses on Latino children, with the mission to serve as the voice for young Latinos. NLCI promotes and implements the National Latino Children’s Agenda through a variety of strategies.
www.nlci.org/

The Pew Hispanic Center
The Pew Hispanic Center's mission is to improve understanding of the diverse Hispanic population in the United States and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the nation. The Center strives to inform debate on critical issues through dissemination of its research to policymakers, business leaders, academic institutions and the media. A variety of reports are available to obtain information and statistics about the growing Hispanic population in the U.S.
www.pewhispanic.org/

RACE - The Power of an Illusion
The online companion to California Newsreel’s 3-part documentary about race in society, science and history. The web site provides informational readings, activities and resources about race and the history of how race has been defined and impacted society.
www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm

Students Challenging Racism and (White) Privilege (SCRAP)
This web site has resources on racism, antiracism, and Whiteness. SCRAP seeks to communicate a comprehensive understanding of racism: how it works on many levels (institutionally and individually), how it functions at the level of everyday assumptions, actions, and representations, how White people benefit from the disadvantages of people of color, and how not discussing or confronting racism is the best way to perpetuate it.
www.canopyweb.com/racism

Books and videos

1. Aliotta, J. J. (1991). The Puerto Ricans. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN: 0-87754-897-8
   This is part of Chelsea House Publishers' The Immigrant Experience series. This book examines the history, culture, and religion of the Puerto Ricans, their place in American society, and their achievements up to the present.
   
2. Ausdale, D V., & Feagin, J. R. (2001). The first R: How children learn race and racism. Lanham, Maryland, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
   The authors spent 11 months at a racially diverse day care center observing children from three to six years old. They found that the children were not too little to understand race or ethnicity, and were deliberately and intentionally using hurtful words and attitudes to discriminate and segregate. The authors note the need for more research in this area. .
   
3. Bandon, A. (1993). Mexican Americans: Footsteps to America. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN: 0-02-768142-4
   This is an account of one of the largest groups of immigrants in the United States. It describes the recent history of Mexican Americans, their opportunities and prejudices, and their evolving lifestyles. It also includes personal narratives.
   
4. Bucher, R. (1999). Diversity Consciousness: Opening our minds to people, cultures and opportunities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
   This is a useful guide to raising diversity consciousness, and how being open to other cultures is necessary for a quality education and successful career. This book offers a wide variety of real-life student experiences and perspectives throughout the book, along with self-reflective journal questions and interactive exercises. Current discussions on diversity and workplace issues help the reader positively and effectively deal with a variety of diversity issues in the workplace.
   
5. California Tomorrow. (2003). No More Lies, No More Shame (curriculum) Oakland, CA: Author.
   This curriculum is for progressive educators and organizers who work with youth and are interested in exploring cultural stereotypes, colonization, identity politics, and oppression and resistance.
   
6. Carlson, L. M. (1994). Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Age: Young Adult. ISBN: 0-805-03135-9
   This collection of poems celebrates the tones, rhythms, sounds, and experiences of growing up Latino in America, living a double life, speaking two languages, and learning the rules of two cultures.
   
7. Chang, H., Salazar, D., & Leong, C. (1994). Drawing strength from diversity: Effective services for youth and families. California Tomorrow.
   Drawing Strength from Diversity builds on the foundation being laid by current human services reform efforts, which focus on interagency collaboration, community decision-making, creative financing and improved outcomes, among other strategies.
   
8. Deedy, C. A. (2004). Growing Up Cuban in Decatur, Georgia. Peachtree Publishers.
   The author shares funny, warm, and loving stories of her memories of growing up in Decatur, Georgia after her family emigrated from Havana.
   
9. Derman-Sparks, L., & Brunson-Philips, C. (1997). Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism: A developmental approach. New York: Teachers College Press
   This book explains the interaction between teachers and students as they grapple with learning about racism and becoming antiracist. It describes the conceptual framework for antiracism and the premises underlying the researchers' pedagogy. It describes the course "Racism and Human Development,” and through student writings, shows how each class session contributes to the progression of students' growth from pro-racist to active anti-racism
   
10. Fernandez-Shaw, C. M. (1991). The Hispanic Presence in North America From 1942 to Today. New York: Facts on File. ISBN: 0-8160-2133-3
    This book traces the history and continuing Spanish influence in each U.S. state. States with a large Hispanic presence are separated into their own chapters. One section is devoted to the history and continuing influence of the Spanish presence on different geographic regions. The appendixes list Spanish "firsts," dates, holidays, universities and colleges with chapters of Sigma Delta Pi (the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society), colonial officers, missions, forts, historical societies, and radio and television stations that broadcast in Spanish.
    
11. Grieshaber, S., & Cannella, G.S. (2001). Embracing Identities in Early Childhood Education: Diversity and Possibilities. New York: Teacher’s College Press.
    This book draws on the work of early childhood teachers and teacher educators and provides examples of creative ways in which practitioners and theorists are rethinking their work. The thinking, theorizing, and practical applications of the text lie in equity, difference, and the recognition of racial, ethnic and sexual diversity. Some of the issues discussed are of equity and fairness in observing young children; gender identities in the early years; and working with non-traditional families.
    
12. Helms, J. (2000). A race is a nice thing to have: A guide to being a white person or understanding the white persons in your life. Baltimore: Content Communications.
    This book examines how the recognition of White racial identity may help to end racism. White people generally fail to understand that they have a racial identity and that having it doesn't have to be a negative. This book is useful for Whites and others, and includes examples and activities that enhance the reader's understanding of the part race plays in our lives.
    
13. Kanellos, N. (1993). The Hispanic-American Almanac: A Reference Work on Hispanics in the United States. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, Inc. ISBN: 0-8103-7944-9
    This reference tool provides an overview of the history of Hispanics from the Spanish conquests in the New World to the modern emigrations to the United States, including a chronology and copies of major historic documents. It describes the legal and political history of Hispanics. This reference also contains biographical information of Spanish explorers, sports figures, television personalities, artists, advertising executives, and scientists.
    
14. Mazel, E. (ed.). (1998). And don’t call me a racist! Lexington, MA: Argonaut Press.
    This is a collection of over 1,000 quotes from blacks ad whites aimed toward understanding and resolving the problems of prejudice and racism. Some quotes display the bitter-sweet humor that has helped blacks through their history of oppression; and some quotes reveal the contrast between the advantages of being born white and the burden of being born black.
    
15. Meyer, N. E. (1997). The Biographical Dictionary of Hispanic Americans. New York: Facts on File.
    This biographical dictionary includes more than 250 entries profiling Hispanic men and women who have significantly influenced American life, discussing each individual’s background, career, and endeavors. This biographical dictionary is arranged in an easy-to-use A-to-Z format. It contains a bibliography, expanded lists for further reading, and three subject indexes organized by year of birth, country of heritage/ethnic group, and profession.
    
16. PBS/Frontline (Producer). (1997). A Class Divided. [Television broadcast] (Available from Public Broadcasting Services, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria Va. 22314-1698).
    A sixty-minute video about public school teacher from Riceville Iowa and her third grade students, whom she divided into blue- and brown-eyed groups for a lesson in discrimination. The video also shows the reunion of the student after 15 years.
    
17. Peters, W. (1987). A Class Divided: Then and Now. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
    A book describing the 1985 reunion of students who were divided into blue- and brown-eyed groups for a lesson in discrimination and chronicles the profound and enduring effect on the students’ lives and attitudes.
    
18. Sinnott, S. (1991). Extraordinary Hispanic Americans. Chicago: Children’s Press. ISBN: 0-516-00582-1
    This book profiles Hispanic Americans who helped shape the history of the United States from the Age of Discovery to present day.
    
19. Valenzuela, A. (1999). Subtractive Schooling: U.S. Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring. State University of New York.
    Valenzuela provides a framework for understanding the patterns of immigrant achievement and U.S.-born underachievement frequently noted in the literature. She provides an ethnographic account of regular-track students attending a virtually all-Mexican inner-city high school in Houston. Valenzuela argues that schools subtract resources from youth by dismissing their definition of education and through assimilationist policies and practices that minimize the culture and language of their students.
    
20. Washington, V.E., & Andrews, J. D. (eds.). (1998). Children of 2010. Washington D.C.: National Association of the Education of Young Children.
    This book addresses some of the issues involved in making democracy work for the next generation of children, the children of 2010. It is based on a series of three dialogues conducted in 1998 by a small group of national leaders who are involved in creating a better future for children, youth, and their families. The book invites readers to form dialogue groups to explore these issues and to become active in solving problems that will contribute to an inclusive democracy for all of our children.

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New Voices/Nuevas Voces
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill