“I was born in this country!”

The importance of implementing discussions about Black Lives Matter in early childhood education and care

Abstract

The aim of this study is to address the importance of implementing discussions about Black Lives Matter in early childhood education and care. The article starts with presenting the background of the study, describing how talking about race and whiteness may perceive difficult to address for both preschool teachers as well as early childhood educators. Using two narratives from my own research history, I employ a postcolonial perspective, using the theories of Frantz Fanon, as a lens to discuss the narratives. The article has a critical perspective, acknowledging how we today still live in a world that continues of being affected by the effects of colonization. In this section, I discuss why saying children are “colorblind” is problematic. Furthermore, I try looking towards a more decolonializing and liberating pedagogy, troubling recent matters regarding skin color. Finally, I address the importance of implementing discussions about Black Lives Matter in early childhood education and why raising awareness about this movement could be so important for our society generally and future preschool teachers in particular.