Books and Affirmations for Mindfulness during Black History Month

We are excited to introduce Angie, a first-grade teacher, to share Black History, Culture, and Heritage affirmations that her students came up with to honor Black History Month here in the United States for the month of February. She also shares a list of books to honor the achievements and contributions of African American people. Angie’s story reminds us of the wisdom of our children and what difference it makes when they are involved in learning about mindfulness and the diversity of the world. Please join me in giving Angie a warm welcome.

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I believe in the power of mindfulness, as well as teaching neuroscience and growth mindset as part of doing social justice and anti-racism work.

This year, our district made a commitment to being anti-racist and implementing an Anti-Racist Curriculum. Our language arts department has been building curriculum around the Gholdy Muhammed Framework: Cultivating Genius. Here’s a link to an interview.

Our curriculum is a social justice curriculum, and I make sure that the literature I engage my students in reflects diversity, addresses issues of social justice and racism, and lifts up Black lives, history, culture and heritage, as well as those of each and every student.

I teach first grade at Sherman Elementary School (note that school is in the process of being renamed because the school was named after General Sherman, a self-admitted racist) in the San Francisco Unified School District.

If you were to visit my class, you would see beautiful scholars from many parts of the world: India, Iraq, United States, Mexico, China, Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Morocco, Egypt, Nicaragua, and Iceland—all colors of the rainbow!

I integrate mindfulness practice and affirmations as part of our daily routine, and the district implements restorative practices and the 2nd Step Curriculum. Self-care is caring for others. In order for us to transform and disrupt systemic oppression, there is a need to prioritize a balanced curriculum that focuses on the whole child, compassion, and humanity.

Here’s what the kids came up with as affirmations:

Black History, Culture, and Heritage Affirmations

I am strong.

I am brave.

I am justice.

I can make a difference.

I am resilient.

I am love and compassion.

We practice yoga poses and then say the affirmations. I post the affirmations on a Google Slide (like the one below). We are distance learning, so we do this all online together by unmuting our speakers and whispering the affirmations.