While there is no doubt about the importance of teaching children — especially White children — about racism and tolerance, it can sometimes be a tricky road to navigate. On the one hand, you’ve got the direct approach, mostly aimed at younger children. On the other hand, there’s…doing nothing at all, which is absolutely unacceptable. Somewhere in the middle, we find pop culture: the media our children consume, and are influenced by, as they grow older and move through the world.If you are a parent looking for diversity in your grade- and middle-schoolers' TV shows, here are two that seamlessly share messages of inclusivity without beating viewers over the head. The diversity in these shows just is, and best of all — there are actual actors of color behind the microphones.
The Amazing World of Gumball (2011–2019, Hulu)