Summer Slurs
We love hearing from the folks we have the opportunity to work with to support their equity and belonging efforts. Recently we heard from one of our summer camps reaching out for some guidance:
“We've had a few cases of racial comments here in one of our groups during the first week of camp. As we discuss consequences and action steps, we want to include education. Wondering if you had any suggestions (videos, articles, projects, etc) to use with campers, or maybe another approach to consider? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!”
Although sad to hear about what happened, we appreciated our partners reaching out to us about the racial comments and admire their restorative approach to educating campers.
We know each situation is particular, and yet we understand that some challenges can be universal.
While not knowing the specific context or the comments that might come up at camp, we wanted to recommend Brené Brown's Focus on guilt instead of shame as a framework for addressing mistakes campers make.
Other educational resources you might consider adapting for camp:
Addressing Racist and Dehumanising Language from Facing History
Resources for Teaching About Race and Racism from the NYT
Unlearning Slurs from Learning for Justice
Anti-Racism Tools from Trying Together
We also want to add two other articles and a youth-centered video to round it all out:
Racial Stereotyping (TEDxYouth@TFIS) *there are more TEDxYouth videos if you want to look at them
In the end, we all want our camps and communities to be stronger, where we can all show up as our authentic selves. Creating inclusive and respectful spaces at summer camps is essential for fostering a sense of belonging among all campers. By addressing racial comments with both accountability and education, we can help young people understand the impact of their words and learn to be more empathetic and thoughtful in their interactions. The resources shared here are just starting points for deeper conversations and long-term change. Together, we can build camp environments where every individual feels valued and supported, helping to shape a more equitable future.
