Tragically, once again, we as a nation are confronted with the unprovoked killing of Black Americans. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are recent reminders of the unequal lives we live based on race and gender. NCFR grieves for this unnecessary loss of life and is committed to sharing the resources we can bring to bear that may help you, and the families you serve, in addressing these traumatic events and persisting to build a more just and anti-racist society. This will not be our final offering, as we will continue to assemble additional resources. It will also not be the final message we send as an organization as we develop policy statements that speak to the grotesque inequalities in health and life opportunities that are a reality in our country today.

We are grateful for the critical work you all do as scholars, educators, and practitioners in the service of families. We encourage you to use these resources with your colleagues in Family Science and related disciplines as we continue the hard and necessary work of forging a society free from violence and racial oppression.

— Leigh A. Leslie, Ph.D., NCFR President

Featured Resource

• NCFR Collection: How to Discuss Racial Discrimination in Society  — This list of resources from reputable organizations can help families, educators, researchers, and practitioners educate themselves and others on matters related to the systematic oppression and the persistence of both individual and institutional racism in our society.

Scholarly Articles

• White Supremacy and the Web of Family Science: Implications of the Missing Spider — Ashley A. Walsdorf, Lorien S. Jordan, Christi R. McGeorge, and Margaret O. Caughy (Journal of Family Theory & Review)

• Surfacing Family Privilege and Supremacy in Family Science: Toward Justice for All — Bethany L. Letiecq (Journal of Family Theory & Review)

• Integrating Race, Racism, and Critical Consciousness in Black Parents' Engagement With Schools — Aixa D. Marchand, Rema Reynolds Vassar, Matthew A. Diemer, and Stephanie J. Rowley (Journal of Family Theory & Review)

• Intersectionality as the “New” Critical Approach in Feminist Family Studies: Evolving Racial/Ethnic Feminisms and Critical Race Theories — April L. Few‐Demo (Journal of Family Theory & Review)

• The Central Roles of Race and Racism in Reframing Family Systems Theory: A Consideration of Choice and Time — Anthony G. James, Stephanie Irby Coard, Mark A. Fine, and Duane Rudy (Journal of Family Theory & Review)

• “That’s My Number One Fear in Life. It’s the Police”: Examining Young Black Men’s Exposures to Trauma and Loss Resulting From Police Violence and Police Killings — Jocelyn R. Smith Lee and Michael A. Robinson (Journal of Black Psychology)

• African American Maternal Power and the Racial Socialization of Preschool Children — Adrienne L. Edwards and April L. Few-Demo (Sex Roles)

• Resources to Support Children’s Emotional Well-Being Amid Anti-Black Racism, Racial Violence, and Trauma — Dominique Parris, Victor St. John, and Jessica Dym Bartlett (Child Trends)

NCFR Conference Sessions

• Video: None of Us Are Free Until All of Us Are Free — Plenary presentation from the 2016 NCFR Annual Conference by Alicia Garza, Special Projects Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance; Cofounder, Black Lives Matter

• Audio: Improving Community-Police Relations Through Dialogue: Creating Healthier Neighborhoods for Black Families — Invited symposium from the 2017 NCFR Annual Conference by Dalton Price, William D. Allen, Anthony James, and Ijeoma Opara

Further Resources from NCFR Members

• White Families & White Privilege: Intersectionality, Critical Self Reflexivity, and Shifting the Center (PDF) — Bethany L. Letiecq, Ph.D., George Mason University

• I Can't Breathe, A Call for Dialogue and Action — Article by NCFR members in response to the deaths of African Americans in police custody in Ferguson, Missouri, Staten Island, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio, among others.

• Tips for Effective Communication When Discussing Controversial Topics (PDF) — Developed by Norma J. Perez-Brena, Ph.D., Texas State University

Recommended Reading & Other Media

• Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story About Racial Injustice — by Marianne Celano, Ph.D., Marietta Collins, Ph.D., and Ann Hazzard, Ph.D.; Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

• Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup — includes infographics, podcasts, books for children, adults, and educators (Pretty Good)

• Racism and Violence: Using Your Power as a Parent to Support Children Aged Two to Five (ZERO TO THREE)

• Raising Race Conscious Children — a resource for talking about race with young children

• Talking Race With Young Children (NPR Podcast)

NCFR welcomes further contributions of scholarly articles, research briefs, books, webinars, podcasts, and websites to add to these collections. Email your suggestions to Trip Sullivan.

Additional NCFR Resource Collections

• How to Respond to Violence, Hate, and Racism — This collection is designed to help those affected on any level to cope in the aftermath of a tragic event. Topics include talking to children about tragedies; coping in the wake of mass violence; ways to fight hate; and more.
• Understanding Gun Violence from a Family Perspective —  Original articles commissioned and published in the winter 2018 Family Focus section of NCFR Report and the fall 2018 issue of CFLE Network.
• Coping in the Wake of Shootings, Mass Violence, and Terrorism — This collection provides practical resources from reputable organizations to help individuals and families cope in the aftermath of a large-scale violent event, such as a shooting or other form of mass violence or terrorism.
• How to Talk to Children About Tragedies — This list of resources from reputable organizations can help families, educators and anyone working with children talk to kids about tragedies and violence.