Family Strengthening
Belonging through Books
Belonging through Books is a program that aims to help families have conversations about race, racism, gender, LGBTQ inclusion, diversity and standing up against unfairness.
The 2024-25 season is accomplished in partnership with Dr. Lori A Watson of Race Work and Napa Valley Unified School District. The program was formerly known as Rainbow Family League.
Program Story
First 5 Napa County is committed to strengthening our community, parents, and caregivers with a lens of equity, respect, and social inclusion so that ALL our children are happy, healthy, and grow up with a sense of belonging.
Belonging through Books (BtB) is a bilingual parent/caregiver education program that supports families in talking about:
- Self and family identity
- Recognizing similarities and differences
- Understanding fairness
- Understanding advocacy and allyship
Our facilitators support each “team” of families for a 6 month season through providing:
- Equipment (including diverse children’s books with discussion prompts and family activities)
- Coaching and practice opportunities
- Community building (teammates will have the opportunity to gather virtually and in person to work on a variety of projects around our league’s themes)
Program Scope
Belonging through Books families meet together in a group session with Dr. Lori and First 5 at a trusted location in their community (a school Family Resource Center, for example). The conversations are a mix of presentations and an open dialogue to share experience and learn together, and they are hosted in the evenings to accommodate work schedules, with food and childcare provided.
Participating families also receive monthly equipment bags with thematically appropriate books to read with their kids to practice the skills the team is learning.
Presentations and discussions paired with the children’s books and family activities aim to support parents/caregivers in becoming more confident and courageous when talking about race, racism, LGBTQ inclusion, and advocacy with their children.
Ultimately, we aim for these families to become actively anti-racist and join First 5 Napa County in creating a more inclusive community for all.
During the 2024-25 school year, First 5 Napa County is partnering with Napa Valley Unified School district to bring BtB to the district’s TK families!
Evaluation
During prior cohorts, Belonging through Books had participating families from the City of Napa, Angwin, and American Canyon. First 5 Napa County distributed 294 diverse and inclusive children’s books to the families through the monthly “equipment bags.”
Because of their participation, participants reported:
- 90% Feel a sense of belonging in their community
- 80% Feel more civically engaged
Grown Up Impact
ALL participating parents noted increased confidence in:
- Talking about diverse families with their child
- Talking about race/racism with their child
- Talking about race/racism with other adults
- Speaking up against unfairness and discrimination
ALL participating parents noted reduction in their own implicit or explicit racial biases after the program, and 90% reported a growth in their own knowledge around race/racism and understanding of LGBTQ and gender diverse children & adults.
Child Impact
88% of families report after participating, their child is:
- More empathetic
- Using accurate language to describe human differences
- Recognizing unfairness and has language to describe it
- Able to stand up for others in the face of discrimination