Pumpkin An Anti-Racism Tool For Teachers

Take kids to farmers' markets nearby. Teachers cannot do everything. 

Kids growing up on a farm are better off because they see nature in action.

CLASS: "We are all pumpkins."

TEACHER: "Again."

CLASS: "We are all pumpkins."

Nature is the best anti-racism tool because it stands on two pillars: male and female, different body parts but human beings nonetheless. Night and day also represents different but equal, which enable things to grow during the day and also at night when we are asleep.

Nature blesses us with food, pumpkins for example. They are an effective anti-racism tool, because from the same patch of land, comes a medley of colors and shapes. Kids see them in farmers’ markets, or even supermarkets if you don’t have access to farmers’ markets.

Fall is behind us but we have photos of green, orange, yellow, small, big, perfect circles, undecided circles, cone shaped and sausage pumpkins in our phones. Halloween pumpkins are all cut up into eyes and mouths but not all of them are identical.

Kids in a class won’t like the same shape or color but they will all agree that these vegetables are all pumpkins. Such diversity is found in their classroom, drugstore, on the bus or train and on the pavement.

Racism kicks in when we see a black person or someone wearing certain religious clothing, has a long beard or wearing a certain cap. They are human beings and have a right to walk the streets or enter a shop without security reaching for their guns.

We are all pumpkins. Some parents might say bad things about people of a particular skin color or religion. Kids can then respectfully convince them, that we are all human pumpkins.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

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