Local Independent Schools Co-Host Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist Speaker

Santa Barbara’s local independent schools Montessori Center School, Crane, Laguna Blanca, Riviera Ridge, and Santa Barbara Middle School hosted an anti-bias, antiracist parent webinar for their community members on October 18 with nationally-recognized antiracist educator, teacher, speaker, and advocate Britt Hawthorne. This marks the first collaboration among the five schools, jointly hosting a community discussion focused on social justice. 

The event topic, “How to Raise AntiRacist Children,” incorporates tools and tips from Hawthorne’s 2022 New York Times Bestseller, “Raising AntiRacist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide.” 

“At Montessori Center School, we are committed to engendering a just and equitable school community,” says MCS’s Interim Head of School Vanessa Jackson. “Thank you to our incredible partners at Crane, Laguna Blanca, Riviera Ridge and SBMS for collaborating with us on this important topic. This event presented a very powerful opportunity for us to continue our work to disrupt and dismantle our own biases so that our children can grow up in an environment where all human differences are celebrated and supported.” 

"At Laguna Blanca, we believe diversity, equity and inclusion is an ongoing practice that demands engagement and lifelong learning. This work is rooted in our core values of scholarship, character, balance, and community. We view this as imperative to creating a better future and invite all members of our community to participate in our conversations and solutions.” - Director of DEI Ursula Chan 

"Crane School is committed to creating and sustaining a community rooted in equity and justice. Through our programming, curriculum, and events like this, Crane and our partner schools affirm our commitment to building an anti-racist future and a community of critical thinkers capable of reimagining and building a truly beloved community. As our core value Put We Before Me expresses, we believe deeply in the power of collaboration and partnership to overcome division and the -isms that present themselves and to create a strong sense of belonging." 

- Michelle Holmes, Crane's Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

“At Santa Barbara Middle School, we are committed to fostering an environment that actively promotes inclusivity of all students, their families, and their identities. We are honored and proud to be partnering with our fellow independent schools of Santa Barbara to continue this path forward, together. We look forward to more of these collaborations in the future.” - Bianca Vega, SBMS Assistant Head of School

“The Riviera Ridge School is committed to creating a campus environment that mirrors the cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic composition of our greater community. With diversity comes a responsibility to honor, value, and celebrate individual differences while providing a safe space of inclusion, belonging, and positive interactions among all School community members. We are grateful for being part of this collaboration and we acknowledge the continuous commitment that is needed to have meaningful progress.” - Dr. Mario Bucio, Director of Student Wellness & EIB practices.

About Britt Hawthorne

Britt Hawthorne (they/she) is the author of the highly-anticipated, New York Times Bestseller, Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide (Simon Element, 2022). Britt is also an antiracist educator, teacher, speaker, visionary, and advocate committed to raising a generation of antiracist children by centering families of the global majority and fostering equitable learning environments for students and children of all ages and backgrounds.

Her work has been recognized by PBS, the National Education Association, Drew Barrymore, Google for Education, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Rice University, the Association Montessori Internationale, and countless more. Britt has traveled extensively to speak at conferences, authored publications, and appeared on podcasts covering social justice, liberation, and equity in education.