Early Risers

Children don't need adults to explain that race matters before they begin noticing it. They pick up on what happens around them, how people treat them and even what adults leave unsaid. In this episode, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Sondra Samuels, co-founder, president and CEO of the Northside Achievement Zone in North Minneapolis, about how early experiences with race can shape the way children see themselves and their place in the world. Samuels shares how moving from a predominantly Black community to a predominantly white suburb in third grade changed her understanding of race and her own abilities and how those experiences stayed with her into adulthood. Together, they reflect on growing up without adults to help them process difficult experiences around race and what that can teach us about children growing up today. Six years after the murder of George Floyd, they explore what Minneapolis children may still be carrying, why adults need to talk honestly with children even when they don't have all the answers, and how families and communities can help children feel safe, valued and hopeful in a world that can sometimes feel frightening.GuestSondra Samuels is the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), a nationally recognized nonprofit working to end multigenerational poverty and create pathways to prosperity through education, family stability and racial equity. Since co-founding NAZ in 2009, Sondra has brought together families, schools, nonprofits and community partners across North Minneapolis to ensure children have the support they need to thrive from cradle to career. A longtime North Minneapolis resident, she is a national leader in place-based solutions, systems change and educational equity. Under her leadership, NAZ has become a national model for community-driven transformation, earning recognition including a federal Promise Neighborhood designation. Sondra has also been named to TIME’s inaugural Visionaries list and serves as a senior fellow with Harvard’s Education Redesign Lab. She continues to advocate for policies and partnerships that help children, families and communities reach their full potential.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesNorthside Achievement Zone – Sondra’s organization works with North Minneapolis families through a network of schools and community organizations, supporting children from before they enter school through college and careers. Its approach goes beyond academics to include housing, career and financial support, mental health resources and other services. “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race” by psychologist Beverly Daniel Tatum – This book explores how racial identity develops, particularly during childhood and adolescence, and why people often seek connection with others who share their racial experiences. The book explains how racism, stereotypes, and social environments shape our understanding of race and offers guidance for having honest, meaningful conversations about racial differences. “The Danger of Being ‘Color Silent’: Talking about Race with Young Children” – In this episode of Early Risers, psychologist and author Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum explains how children begin absorbing messages about race as early as age three or four and why staying silent about race can reinforce harmful stereotypes. She shares practical ways parents and caregivers can talk openly about racial differences, answer children's questions, and help young children develop a positive sense of identity and belonging. “Conversations That Matter: Talking with Children About Big World Issues” from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – This article explores why silence can be harmful when children witness racism, injustice or frightening events. The National Association for the Education of Young Children explains how avoiding difficult conversations can leave children feeling anxious, confused or afraid to ask questions. It offers guidance for helping young children understand what they see and hear through honest, age-appropriate conversations.

Children begin learning about race, identity and belonging long before adults may realize it, even when the adults around them avoid those conversations. In this episode, host Dianne Haulcy talks with Dr. Iheoma Iruka, professor and founding director of the Equity Research Action Coalition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about how children develop their understanding of who they are, where they belong and how they recognize fairness and injustice. Dr. Iruka shares her own experiences growing up as a Nigerian American and explains why a strong sense of identity and belonging is an important part of children’s social, emotional and cognitive development. She explores how bias can show up in early childhood classrooms, from books and curriculum to assessments and expectations of children, and why educators need to recognize and build on the cultural strengths children bring with them. Together, they discuss racial socialization, the limitations of a colorblind approach and practical ways parents and educators can create environments where children see themselves and others as valued, capable and worthy of belonging.GuestIheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., is an award-winning tenured professor in the Department of Maternal and Child Health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health and the founding director of the Equity Research Action Coalition at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Iruka leads projects and initiatives focused on ensuring that minoritized children and families, especially Black children and those from low-income households, thrive by attending to their sociocultural assets and racialized contexts. Dr. Iruka has authored more than 100 books and papers and has given more than 300 talks addressing systemic inequities and advancing research and action on the well-being of children and families. She has served on numerous national and local boards and committees, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the American Psychological Association, the National Science Foundation and the Lancet Commission on Racism and Child Health.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesDr. Iheoma Iruka’s Research and Equity Initiatives – Learn more about Dr. Iruka's research and initiatives focused on improving opportunities and outcomes for Black children and families. Her work includes examining implicit bias in early childhood education, supporting culturally responsive teaching practices, strengthening school-family partnerships, and advancing equity for Black infants and toddlers.Ages & Stages: A Caregiver’s Guide to Supporting Children’s Racial Learning from Embrace Race – A free guide that helps parents and caregivers understand how children learn about race from infancy through early adolescence. It explains what children notice at different ages and offers practical activities and conversation strategies to help them develop a healthy sense of racial identity, belonging, and respect for others. Available in English and Spanish.Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum from National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – A resource for early childhood educators on creating classrooms where all children feel seen, respected, and valued. It explores four goals of anti-bias education — identity, diversity, justice, and activism — and offers guidance on incorporating children's cultures, languages, families and experiences into everyday learning.Talking to Children About Racial Bias from American Academy of Pediatrics – A practical resource for parents and caregivers on discussing race and racism with children in age-appropriate ways. It explains how children begin to notice racial differences and develop biases early in life, and offers strategies for recognizing adults' own biases, answering children's questions and helping children challenge stereotypes and discrimination.

When the world feels uncertain, children look to the adults they trust for answers. But what happens when the people children are taught to see as "helpers" don't always make them feel safe? Dianne Haulcy sits down with Emma Swift Lee, director of the Fred Rogers Institute, to explore how caregivers can have honest, age-appropriate conversations about race, fear and safety. Together they discuss why children need truthful answers and how simple, reassuring conversations can help them make sense of difficult events while preserving hope. Inspired by Fred Rogers' work, Emma shares practical strategies for talking with young children about scary news, redefining what it means to be a helper and reminding every child that they are loved, valued and worthy just as they are.GuestEmma Swift Lee is the Director of the Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College, where she works with educators and caregivers to support the interactions and relationships that help children grow and learn. Emma and her colleagues are continually learning from Fred Rogers' legacy and practical scholarship in child development in order to develop professional learning and community-building opportunities for children's helpers. Before joining the institute, Emma worked at the RAND Corporation as a policy analyst. Her work included research, evaluation and technical assistance for projects in early childhood and K-12 education in both rural and urban settings. She holds an Ed.M. in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University and a B.A. in Psychology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesFred Rogers Institute – Practical tools, articles, and videos for helping children navigate difficult conversations, emotions, and challenging current events.Fred Rogers Productions – Parenting resources, free family activities and conversation starters focused on emotions, kindness, empathy and building resilience.Sesame Workshop: See Us Coming Together – Age-appropriate resources that help families talk about race, identity, belonging and community through stories and activities.PBS KIDS for Parents – Activities and conversation starters about feelings, kindness, community and current events.

When immigration raids and stories of racial profiling make headlines, young children notice. They hear conversations, ask difficult questions and often bring their worries into play. In this episode, Host Dianne Haulcy talks with Marie Lister of the University of Minnesota Child Development Laboratory School and Debbie LeeKeenan, co-founder of Anti-Bias Leaders ECE, about how educators can respond with honesty, compassion and confidence. Lister shares how preschoolers processed fears about immigration enforcement through dramatic play and classroom conversations, while LeeKeenan explains why avoiding children's questions can leave them to make sense of injustice on their own. Together, they explore practical ways adults can acknowledge fear without creating more anxiety, talk openly about fairness and belonging, and help children see themselves, and others, as valued members of their communities.GuestsDebbie LeeKeenan is the co-founder and co-director of Anti-Bias Leaders ECE and a nationally recognized educator, author, and consultant with more than 50 years of experience in early childhood education. A former teacher, center director and university faculty member, she is a leading voice in anti-bias education and family engagement, and producer of two recent award-winning anti-bias films for educators and families. She is a Chinese American, born of an immigrant working class family and part of a mixed-race family.Marie Lister is the director of teaching and research at the University of Minnesota’s Child Development Lab School. She has been a preschool teacher for 18 years, and is passionate about inclusive, child-centered learning environments. She also works as a coach with Young Hearts, Open Minds, helping educators learn how to talk about race and racism with young children and create anti-bias learning environments grounded in belonging and equity.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesAnti-Bias Leaders ECE - Professional learning and practical tools to help adults foster identity, diversity, justice and action in early childhood.“All Are Welcome” by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman - A picture book that celebrates inclusion, belonging, and diverse classrooms. “NAEYC Guide for Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves,” Second Edition -A foundational guide to helping young children develop positive identities and recognize fairness and inclusion. Learning For Justice - Free classroom and family resources that help adults teach about diversity, fairness, and belonging.

When immigration raids and news headlines dominate conversations, children notice, even when adults think they're too young to understand. In this episode, host Dianne Haulcy reflects on Minnesota's federal immigration enforcement operation and talks with Season 7 Host Andre Dukes about why families need honest, age-appropriate conversations during uncertain times. You'll hear from play therapist and author Olivia Garcia, who explains how stories can help children make sense of difficult events while reinforcing that they belong. You’ll also hear from children's mental health specialist Brandon Jones, who shares practical strategies for limiting harmful media exposure, answering tough questions and helping young children feel supported. Together, they explore how race, identity and community shape children's experiences and why calm, truthful conversations are one of the most powerful tools adults have to build resilience.GuestAndre Dukes is a widely respected early childhood leader based in Minneapolis and trusted expert on the topic of identity development. Andre was the featured guest on the inaugural episode of Early Risers in 2021 and served as the podcast’s host in 2025. Andre has spent the last decade of his career focused on child development and academic success in North Minneapolis, a community with a deeply rooted history of strategic disinvestment and racial segregation. Andre serves as vice president of family and community impact at Northside Achievement Zone, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesOlivia Garcia’s “Outside Our Window” e-book. Meeting the Moment: How to talk with young children about ICE in our communities, a conversation with Andre Dukes, Olivia Garcia and Brandon Jones. National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Guides for talking with children after traumatic or frightening events, recognizing stress responses, and promoting healing. “Something Happened In Our Town” children’s book - Helps adults discuss racial injustice and community violence with young children in an age-appropriate way. National Immigrant Justice Center – Know Your Rights – Legal rights information and family preparedness resources for immigrant communities.

In this second episode of a two-part series, we continue our conversation with Dr. Anne Gearity about her seminal work in developmental repair. In our previous episode we learned about the basics of developmental repair and how caregivers help dysregulated children become regulated. But what happens when a caregiver doesn’t look like the child, or is not part of their community? Dr. Gearity explains how building a “bridge” with the child can help the child feel safe and help the caregiver earn the child’s trust.We also learn what developmental repair looks like on the ground. Chantell Johnson, a practitioner of Dr. Gearity’s model, says when kids “don't have the language to tell you, they'll show you.” And that can be confusing for adults who are working with pre-verbal children. But it can be equally confusing for the child, who also may not understand their own behavior. “Kids are really doing the best they can with what they have, even when it's inappropriate.”GuestsDr. Anne Gearity earned her Ph.D. in clinical social work from the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, IL. Research from her dissertation was foundational for Developmental Repair, an intervention manual for behaviorally challenged and challenging children, written in collaboration with the Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis. This manual is now used extensively throughout the state. She taught for 25 years at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work and was faculty of the U of M’s Infant and Early Child Mental Health Certificate program in the Institute for Child Development.Chantell Johnson is an MSW Candidate at the University of Minnesota. She’s also the Community Wellness Program Manager & Family Academy Facilitator at the Northside Achievement Zone in Minneapolis, MN.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesNorthside Achievement ZoneDr. Rita Pierson - Every Child Needs a ChampionDevelopmental Repair Manual (2012, Gearity)Dr. Anne Gearity University of Minnesota Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

When Dr. Anne Gearity earned her master’s in social work in 1974, the field of Early Childhood was just beginning. As she puts it, “We started to pay attention and really think about what children need not just to survive, but to thrive—and that they can be resilient.” That focus on the child has guided her work ever since. Over five decades, her research led to a new approach for treating childhood trauma: Developmental Repair. In part one of this two-part series, host Andre Dukes talks with Dr. Gearity about what she’s learned from working with children and how caregivers can better understand behavior as a form of communication.GuestDr. Anne Gearity earned her Ph.D. in clinical social work from the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, IL. Research from her dissertation was foundational for Developmental Repair, an intervention manual for behaviorally challenged and challenging children, written in collaboration with the Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis. This manual is now used extensively throughout the state. She taught for 25 years in the University of Minnesota School of Social Work and was faculty of the U of M’s Infant and Early Child Mental Health Certificate program in the Institute for Child Development. She completed a master’s in social work from the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Work of New York, NY, and has had an independent mental health practice that serves children, adolescents and adults since 1987. Her initial role in psychiatry was teaching normal child development to child and adolescent psychiatry fellows. In 2017, she started the family consult clinic to help families navigate potentially confusing diagnoses, treatment plans and related family needs, and provide fellowship with family engagement experiences.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesSeminal 1991 report on Childhood TraumaRomanian OrphansDevelopmental Repair Manual (2012, Gearity)Dr. Anne Gearity University of Minnesota Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

The Dakota Language Nest is a preschool where children are developing their identity through immersion in Dakota culture, traditions and language. In this episode we spend a day with the children as they practice the traditions of smudging, tobacco harvesting, singing songs and showing respect and gratitude for the natural world’s gifts. We speak with lead teacher, Katie Bendickson, about the importance of keeping the language alive, and how the language and traditions are intertwined. We also speak with Nicole Cavender, a Dakota woman whose son attends the language nest: “I wanted to give them what I didn't have and wanted, which wasn't just language, it wasn't just answers to questions, but it's really about belonging, and belonging doesn't happen without community.”GuestWóokiye wiŋ | Katie BendicksonLead Teacher, Dakhódiapi Wahóȟpi | Dakota Language NestUniversity of Minnesota Child Development Laboratory SchoolWóokiye wiŋ | Katie Bendickson spent much of her young life on her mother’s reservation, Fond du Lac Reservation in northern Minnesota, before her family moved to her father’s reservation at Upper Sioux Community in southwest Minnesota. Bendickson is Sisseton Wahpeton Dakhóta. She began learning the Dakota language in high school at Yellow Medicine Senior High, but it wasn’t until college that the language truly captivated her. It transformed her sense of identity, reshaped her worldview and helped her along her personal healing journey.Her main teaching enthusiasm is nature-based and play-based learning for young children in the Dakota language medium.Episode ResourcesDakota Language NestTruth telling: Rethinking Thanksgiving: How to speak to young children about historical and racialized trauma MN Humanities Center - Learning from Place: Bdote

What’s the difference between a mirror book and a window book? For part two of our Identity through Words and Images series, we go on location to climb aboard Babycake’s Book Stack bookmobile! We learn the importance of children seeing characters that look like they do, how that impacts their sense of self, and how seeing books about others broadens their sense of community. Owner Zsamé Morgan underscores the importance of family literacy and offers guidance on how to get started. We also hear from children’s book illustrators on how they approach their work. We explore how a book’s images can shape a child’s identity just as much as the text, especially among infants and toddlers, and how illustrators think about their role when choosing shapes and hues.GuestZsamé MorganOwner, Babycake’s Book StackZsamé Morgan is the owner of Babycake’s Book Stack, a children's bookstore on wheels that focuses on family literacy, culture, language and community throughout the Twin Cities — a hub of many diverse people. In 2017, Morgan bought a 33-foot bookmobile from a library in Indiana and opened it up to the public in 2019. Her mobile bookstore carries a highly curated inventory of baby board books, children's, middle school and young adult (YA) books designed to include the culture and/or languages of Indigenous, immigrant, refugee, African American children and children of many other multicultural backgrounds.Discussion GuideEpisode ResourcesBabycake’s Book Stack Resources for Family LiteracyBabycake’s Book Stack Bookmobile ScheduleMeleck DavisYuyi MoralesRob Liu-Trujillo

Resmaa Menakem’s bestselling text “My Grandmother’s Hands” deals with the visceral impact of racialized trauma. But is it important for children to understand the legacy of these wounds? And how do we begin to take up such a weighty topic with young children? We sit down with authors Resmaa Menakem and T. Mychael Rambo to understand how a children’s book can provide an invitation for parents and caregivers to begin to acknowledge the trauma. As Menakem says, “Something happened and continues to happen to you and your people, and you have to tend to that.”GuestsResmaa Menakem and T. Mychael RamboCo-Authors, “The Stories from My Grandmother’s Hands”Resmaa Menakem and T. Mychael Rambo teamed up with illustrator Leroy Campbell to co-author a companion children’s book to Menakem’s New York Times bestseller “My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies.” Menakem is a therapist and licensed clinical worker specializing in racialized trauma, communal healing, and cultural first aid based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His groundbreaking work has reshaped conversations on race and trauma, guiding others toward deep, embodied change. T. Mychael is a Minneapolis-based actor, author, community organizer and public speaker.Discussion Guide Episode Resources“Stories from my Grandmother’s Hands”“My Grandmother’s Hands” - Resmaa Menakem“1619 Project” - Nikole Hannah-JonesAlvin Toffler