New Poem in L.A. Parent

"To The White Parenting 'Expert'"

​​Read the poem online here.

Access the full print version of the July 2020 issue here.

Intro to the Poem

My great grandfather was a tall, skinny black man who owned a gas station in a small town on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. My three-year-old MexiRican child is a blondie with hazel eyes whose favorite game is being chased. For my husband and me, there was never a doubt that conversations about race and racial justice would take place in our multiracial, multiethnic, bilingual MexiRican home. This week I’ve been surprised to witness how unbearably uncomfortable these kinds of conversations make some people, even so-called “leaders” in the parenting space. What a lost opportunity for them, and also what an important lesson for me. This poem pays homage to those lessons learned, particularly the need to get crystal clear on our own family’s core values and then seek out and invest in those parenting coaches who are most aligned with the future we’re working to co-create with our kiddos, families, and communities.

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Before You Go...

Read:

• Resources for Raising Anti-Racists Kids
• #BlackLivesMatter: Poetry & Other Resources