Creating innovative Canadian approaches to anti-racism in early childhood: Transformative practices for addressing and disrupting racism

Nidhi Menon; Lyle Hamm; Manju Varma

doi:10.37291/2717638X.202563645

Authors

Nidhi Menon University of New Brunswick https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6491-4565
Lyle Hamm University of New Brunswick https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1400-2771
Manju Varma Engaging Matters Diversity Consultants Inc https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9243-7725

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.202563645

Keywords:

Anti-racism, Critical pedagogy, Multiculturalism, Critical race theory, Decolonization

Abstract

Canada projects itself as a land of opportunity, embracing inclusivity and multiculturalism in both education and broader societal discourse. However, this ideological framework obscures the realities of race and institutional racism, failing to address persistent inequities experienced by Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities, including immigrants and refugees. In early childhood education, dominant discourses of diversity and color blindness reinforce the notion that young children are racially innocent and unaffected by race. Yet, reconceptualist early childhood scholars demonstrate that by ages three to four, children develop racial awareness, identification, and attitudes, positioning themselves within racial hierarchies. This recognition underscores the enduring and systemic nature of racism embedded in both formal and informal educational settings. This paper explores innovative anti-racist educational approaches that extend beyond individual and interpersonal racism to challenge structural and systemic inequities within educational institutions. Centering marginalized critical theories, including Indigenous epistemologies, Critical Race Theory, and critical pedagogy, frameworks often overlooked in mainstream early childhood education, we highlight transformative pedagogies and practices that disrupt racism and advance equity in diverse educational contexts.

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