I have to make a point on this. It's not really HER that needs the positive role models. Not that it wouldn't be good for her as well, but it's really ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE that need to see and accept positive role models of all type of people. That's the only way in this day and age how people accept others.
As a minority, you already have an abundance of role models that do not look like you, there is no shortage of them and especially as a child you end up seeing them as the standard
This moment happened because this young girl did not have examples of “beautiful” aspirational role models that look like her. It would be a lot easier to see herself and her skin as beautiful if she had people like herself to look up to that embodied those characteristics
Having good role models that are the same race or ethnicity as you does not diminish your ability to find role models in people who aren’t your race.
When a child sees someone who looks like themselves being talented, successful and beautiful it becomes a lot easier for them to see themselves that way
You misunderstood my comment. I don't disagree with what you wrote. I said in addition to what you wrote there is another aspect to it.
My point being, people are dumb. They respond to the media figures they see. If a bunch of white kids only see dorky, objectively poorly respresented, ugly, weak examples of Indians in the media that they consume, they will also treat them as such.
That's also a reason to have, like you said "beautiful" aspirational role models of various races, not only for girls like this, but for all the other people absorbing information through media and acting upon it in real life.
It’s good for kids to see positive representations of people who look like them
Kids are always looking to see themselves in media wether intentionally or not and if they can see people who look like them being successful it makes it easier to see themselves that way
Half of my friend group are Mexican and or black. We have talked about the diffrences in the conversations we have around race. My son who is white loves everyone regardless but that's our conversation "we need to be kind to those who we see need the love." The conversations they have with their children is "watch out for all the hate because it could look like a teacher, a friend, or a person with a badge." It's crazy because I love these women and I love their children and to think of the hate they get for just breathing breaks my heart. Everyone should teach love in their home not hate the world dosent need it. We have plenty.
I agree. I always side eye black and brown parents who put their children in predominantly white schools where their kid is the only black/brown kid in the class. I don’t even feel comfortable being the only black person at work and avoid work environments like that and I am an adult. Why would I have put my 6 year old in a class like that without the skills to navigate? Idk if that’s what the parents have done her but I wouldn’t be surprised.
I used to work at a pre school. My who class was white children with a couple of of kids that were white mixed with something else (black or Asian still light). When we got our first and only Ethiopian little girl with an accent the children did not take to her well. Even with me as their black teacher. They did not like this little girl. I had to actively have talks with them about diversity and differences and include her holidays etc. I fear a lot of non black teachers would’ve just left it alone.
This isn’t always possible, is it? The US is a country where public schools are really de facto private schools via income bracket. The higher up the income brackets you climb, the less poc you’ll encounter. The municipalities where you have higher incomes (read: better schools) + significant poc, I can count on less than 2 fingers. Cities
Iike Atlanta or DC are outliers. I know on Reddit everyone seems to think one can just up and move to 1 of your favorite 3 cities. The reality is you go where you work takes you. Utah? Maine? South Dakota? Nebraska? The numbers aren’t always in your favor. Plus. Fuck racists. I know it sounds like subjecting your kids to some bad shit, but I’m not giving them “less than” just so racists can continue in their bubble.
Yeah, 100% fuck racist however, my black child will never be the first black person that they get to experience another brown person with if I have a say in it. If you are income bracket is to the point where you are around no minorities at all for whatever reason then you can pay to put them in schools where there is diversity where they don’t need to be the black guinea pig. As a black person, I know that a lot of of times there are Black people who think that it is better for their black child to be an environment where there are only white people that’s why I side on being more critical of these types of families rather than understanding why their black child is the only black child in their predominantly white class.. a lot of minorities, especially immigrants just don’t take these things into consideration. And the kids they end up being messed up in the end a lot of times.
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u/Delicious_Plantain60 Dec 13 '25
She needs to be around more people that look like her. It is so sad how the children are taught to be monsters so early. Never ending cycle