New student grants at Drexel fund ‘racial literacy’ for pre-kindergarten teachers

New “anti-racism mini grants” at Drexel University are being used to encourage race discussions with pre-kindergarten students and other projects in Philadelphia.

The grant program, run by the university’s Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, gives students up to $1,000 for “collaborative projects that advance understanding of and action against systemic racism” in the West Philadelphia area, according to the center.

One recipient, Rebecca Epting, an educational leadership major, used the money this summer to host a “racial literacy” workshop for student teachers in the Kindergarten Bridge Program, according to the Lindy Center website. The five-week program helps prepare upcoming kindergarteners to start school.

Epting told Drexel News a lot of education literature emphasizes the importance of discussing race in the classroom but does not provide practical steps to help teachers implement discussions.