As an agency, Bridgetown Baby is deeply committed both to confronting bias within ourselves and dismantling the systemic racism that literally and figuratively stifles the potential of our BIPOC* community members. The work starts with us; it continues with our children - and we are their most important teachers. Each month, we'll be sharing resources for talking with kids about bias and celebrating differences.

As parents, we share a common goal: to provide our children with a safe haven to grow and thrive.

For families around the world, that becomes impossible as political unrest, persecution and violence dominate their worlds. It continues to come home to us here in the US - the recent violence in Afghanistan, the ongoing plight of migrants at our border, the families in our communities who carry the grief of leaving home and the pain of racism and stigma once here.

Lubna and Pebble, by Wendy Meddour, engages the youngest of readers in exploring the refugee experience. Arriving on a strange shore with only her father for family, lonely Lubna finds a smooth pebble; with a cheerful smile drawn on, Pebble becomes Lubna’s constant companion, until Lubna meets someone who needs Pebble more. This sweet story offers a window on the resilience of children and the gifts of empathy, connection and friendship.

You can find Lubna and Pebble at Powell’s or at your local library. Find more children’s books about the refugee experience via Brightly.

*Black, Indigenous, and People of Color