It’s important for parents to talk about racial justice with their children because of “a really basic fact”: Racism is a sin. Justina Kopp of Holy Family in St. Louis Park made that point as she joined “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley to offer tips to parents on how to have conversations with their children about racism and racial justice.
Kopp, who is Black and the mother of quadruplets, also is a former campus minister at the University of Minnesota Newman Center and current advisory board member for the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She suggested approaching the topic of racism with genuine humility, such as “I don’t know everything, but I want to do the right thing.”
Justina Kopp
“You’re looking out for your neighbor,” she said. “You’re looking out for the common good. You’re lifting others up when they’re telling you ‘I’m hurting.’”
Kopp said children are the perfect place to start because parents needn’t get into “the big, heavy things.”
“When you look at it from a very basic understanding, like Jesus died for all of us, all of us are made in the image and likeness of God, that God delights in all of us without exception,” then everything else falls into place, she said.
Parents need not start with a family meeting to say “guys, we’re going to talk about race today.” She said “back it up a bit” and think about things being consumed as individuals and as a family: the types of media, shows being watched, books read to the children.
“What conversations are you having with your spouse?” she asked. “What kinds of toys are your children playing with? And are we just presenting one world view that isn’t reflective of God’s kingdom? Are we just normalizing a white reality? Are we talking about the beautiful diversity there? We’re stunting the creativeness of God if we just focus on one.”
Kopp believes parents are afraid to tell their children about things that are scary, hard or sad, and wonder when certain topics should be discussed, such as slavery. “But the fact is, as young as age 2 or 3, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, they can start learning and observing racial differences as babies, and kids are smarter and more observant than we give them credit for,” she said. “It’s really important to start these conversations early.”
Kopp said she understands any hesitation to do so. “Obviously, don’t dive into the really horrific stuff right away.” But parents can’t shelter their children from things that “the world’s going to tell them, whether we like it or not,” she said, “so you might as well get in there early.”
Kopp said she incorporates diverse religious imagery in her home so that her children know that Jesus died for everyone, not just “a certain type of person.” And recognize within yourself that you’re not going to have all the answers, she said.
Look to Black authors, she said, “because there are tons of them and tons of really beautiful books that can explain some of these things, or even just showing Black everyday life — that it doesn’t necessarily need to be teaching, and experience just can be like ‘Black people have normal lives, too.’”
The saints challenge everyone to change their lives where it is necessary, Kopp said. There are plenty of Black saints and Black people on the path to canonization who challenge us, Kopp said, noting in particular the late Sister Thea Bowman. Kopp encouraged listeners to learn more about Sister Thea and listen to her 1989 speech to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
To hear the full interview, including a bit about what it’s like to raise quadruplets, listen to this episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show. It airs at 9 p.m. May 28, 1 p.m. May 29 and 2 p.m. May 30 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who discusses an essential tool for the Christian life, and Kelly Wahlquist, who describes her upcoming Cuppa Joe talk on St. Joseph, the virginal father of Jesus.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at:
soundcloud.com/PracticingCatholic
tinyurl.com/PracticingCatholic?(Spotify)
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