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Invite someone of a
different background to join your family for a meal or holiday.
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Give a multicultural
doll, toy or game as a gift.
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Assess the cultural
diversity reflected in your home's artwork, music and literature. Add
something new.
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Don't buy playthings
that promote or glorify violence.
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Discuss TV
programming with your children; which programs have significant numbers of
minority actors, are people of color presented in stereotypic ways, etc.
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Establish a high
"comfort level" for open dialogue about social issues. Let your children
know that no subject is taboo.
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Talk with your
family about current events, especially those with racial implications.
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Bookmark equity and
diversity web sites on your home computer and visit them often.
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Patronize stores and
select professionals (doctors, attorneys, financial advisors, etc.) who reflect
a different racial or ethnic background from yours.
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Take the family to
an ethnic restaurant. Learn about more than just the food by talking with
the servers or proprietors.
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Observe holidays and
cultural events (for example, Kwanza, Cinco de Mayo, and Chanukah) that reflect
diverse peoples and cultures.
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Involve all members
of the family in deciding which organizations to support with charitable gifts.
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Gather information
about local volunteer opportunities and let your children select projects for
family participation.
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Play "action hero"
with your children. Are the heroes all aggressive males? Help your
children see the heroic qualities in those whose contributions often go
unrecognized (e.g., nurses, bridge builders, volunteers in homeless shelters).
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Affirm your
children's curiosity about race and ethnicity. Point out that people come
in many shades.
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Help young children
make an illustrated list of what friends do or what friendship means.
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Read books with multicultural and
tolerance themes to your children. See IPJ's
book list.
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Examine the
"diversity profile" for your children's friends. Expand the circle by
helping your children develop new relationships.
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Enroll your children
in schools, daycare centers, after-school programs and camps that reflect and
celebrate differences.
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Participate in a Big
Brother or Big Sister program.
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Live in an
integrated and economically diverse neighborhood.
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Include children in
discussions about voting decisions, especially in evaluating candidates' stance
and activities against racism.
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Writer letters to
the editor whenever there is a hate-violence incident. Invite comments
from your children on what to say and/or invite them to sign the letter with
you.
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Add your voice publicly to those
fighting against violence and intolerance by attending school board meetings,
city council hearings, court procedures, vigils, etc. At times it may be
appropriate for children to participate.