Girl Scouts of Colorado is proud to unveil ways for everyone, not just girls or Girl Scouts, to develop an appreciation for the rich diversity of various cultures in their community and around the world.
GSCO is partnering with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Mountain College, Denver Public Schools, and Denver7 on new diversity, equity and inclusion programming, adapted from a program developed by their Girl Scout sisters in Minneapolis. The programming is designed to help participants start the conversation about race and racism by learning to appreciate diversity and honor and celebrate differences.
In addition, their Conversation Starters: Let’s Talk Differences virtual roundtables will give families the tools they need to begin talking about issues related to race and racism. Both parents and children will learn how to deepen their understanding and respect for people who may be different from themselves while also gaining skills on how to better relate to others. Denver7’s Anne Trujillo will moderate a panel of experts from GSCO, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Colorado Mountain College as they discuss and answer questions about these important topics. There will be two Conversation Starters, one for parents and caregivers on Thursday, July 30 about how to talk with children about differences, race and racism; the other on Thursday, Aug. 13 is specifically designed to answer questions on these topics directly from children. Both programs can be found on Denver7 through your Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV device. Questions for the roundtables can be submitted through July 19 here.
Everyone who completes the activities as part of GSCO’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming will earn the “Diverse. Inclusive. Together.” patch. This program is designed for everyone, including families, communities, schools and religious groups. The developmentally appropriate activities ease the way to having meaningful conversations with youth starting at kindergarten through 12th grade. The programming includes hands-on activities, reflective writing, discussions on understanding, and more. All programming is also available in Spanish, thanks to translation services from Denver Public Schools. Click here for a comprehensive list of activities for each age level, or contact GSCO Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper. Also, because not everyone who will complete these activities has a Girl Scout vest or sash, GSCO has created a digital patch that can be proudly displayed on social media to show the recipient’s commitment to appreciating, understanding, and respecting people of all races and cultures.
“The Girl Scout Movement has been about social justice, equity and inclusivity from its very beginning, and part of the Girl Scout mission is to make the world a better place,” said Chief Executive Officer Leanna Clark. “As an organization, Girl Scouts of Colorado is recommitting to that mission. That’s why we’re opening up this programming beyond girls and beyond our Girl Scout community to make it available to as many people as possible. We hope families will take part together to deepen their understanding of themselves and others.”
Diversity and inclusion have been core values of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912. Girl Scouts prepares girls to lead, to speak up and speak out, and to take action for change, fairness, equality, civility and compassion for all people, and to arm them with the courage, confidence and character they need to make our world a better place. Girl Scouts will always stand for justice, for respect, and for the inherent value and worth of each individual who makes up the beautiful and richly diverse tapestry of the United States.
To learn more about Girl Scouts of Colorado, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org.