Dr. Thomas López and the Sesame Street team

Head of School Noni Thomas López spent this afternoon in a three hour Zoom discussion hosted by Sesame Workshop, Let’s Talk About Race and Racial Justice, "an open and guided discussion on race, systemic racism, and taking a stand to dismantle racism."

The conversation was shared live with over four hundred of the staff, trustees and partners of Sesame Workshop, the organization behind Sesame Street, and included ten other educators and researchers, including Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum of Spelman College and representatives from Drake University, the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Central questions this afternoon were:

How can we best support our Black, African American, and Brown children and families through the trauma and grief of historically continuing racism?

How can we understand the critical importance of starting early with our children, and engage allies and advocates of all ages in confronting and taking action against racism?

The conversation came four days after Dr. Thomas López participated in a town hall exploring similar questions, organized by author Kwame Alexander and hosted by the International Literacy Association.

Occasions like these are opportunities to extend Gordon's mission into new areas, and deepen off-campus relationships that enrich the work that happens at Gordon every day. "I'm proud to represent Gordon in conversations like these," Dr. Thomas López said this afternoon, "and I welcome the chance to connect with professionals like Dr. Tatum, Kwame Alexander, and others who are committed to combatting racism by working with young people."

Sesame Street's recent town hall for children and families

Last week's town hall with Dr. Thomas López and Kwame Alexander