Early Risers

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George Floyd’s death was a tragedy and a wake up call — expanding a global conversation about race and racism. And young children have been watching it all. So how do we help them make sense of this? Early Risers is a podcast from Little Moments Count and MPR with frank facts, engaging stories and real how-tos for anyone who cares about raising children with a clear-eyed understanding of cultural differences, race and implicit bias. Hosted by Dianne Haulcy of The Family Partnership.

Recent Episodes
  • Finding Identity through Literacy
    Jun 11, 2025 – 00:31:36
  • Passing the Mic: Reflections on Six Seasons of Early Risers
    May 28, 2025 – 00:31:28
  • How Children Can Become Critical Thinkers about Race in Media
    Dec 4, 2024 – 00:27:15
  • What Social Science Says Parents Can Do About Implicit Bias
    Nov 20, 2024 – 00:21:44
  • Honest Beginnings: Using Explicit Language to Discuss Race and Identity with Young Children
    Nov 6, 2024 – 00:23:33
  • Talking With Young Children About Race and Identity
    Oct 23, 2024 – 00:24:12
  • Sparking Early Childhood Conversations About Race
    Oct 9, 2024 – 00:23:13
  • Media’s Potential to Help Dismantle Racism
    Sep 25, 2024 – 00:22:33
  • Seeing Race Through Picture Books
    Sep 11, 2024 – 00:29:27
  • Understanding Racial Identity in Young Children
    Mar 20, 2024 – 00:27:24
  • An Anti-Bias Approach to Classroom Management
    Mar 6, 2024 – 00:22:05
  • Grassroots Work on Structural Racism
    Feb 21, 2024 – 00:20:09
  • Making the Classroom Reflect the Community
    Feb 7, 2024 – 00:25:59
  • Being in Community With Children
    Jan 24, 2024 – 00:29:24
  • Making Space for Teachers on Race
    Jan 10, 2024 – 00:28:12
  • Parent Highlights with Dr. Richard Lee
    Jun 14, 2023 – 00:28:51
  • Parenting Through Race and Identity: A Somali American Mother's Story
    May 31, 2023 – 00:26:52
  • Navigating Parenthood as Black Parents in a Majority White Community
    May 17, 2023 – 00:24:22
  • Parenting as a Black and Biracial Single Mother in Minnesota
    May 3, 2023 – 00:18:49
  • Navigating Parenthood as Black Parents in a Growing Minnesota City
    Apr 19, 2023 – 00:27:55
  • White Parents Navigating Anti-Racist Parenting in Minneapolis
    Mar 22, 2023 – 00:24:30
  • How Children’s Books can be Tools for Resistance: A Conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
    Nov 30, 2022 – 00:24:36
  • Early Risers: Wisdom From Our Guests
    Aug 10, 2022 – 00:48:01
  • A Pediatrician Gets Real with His Patients in Talking About Race
    Jul 27, 2022 – 00:33:55
  • How Babies Start to Learn About Race
    Jul 13, 2022 – 00:32:58
  • Helping Children to Love the Skin They’re In
    Jun 29, 2022 – 00:24:34
  • Disrupting the bias within us
    Jun 15, 2022 – 00:33:21
  • The Power of Place: Visiting George Floyd Square with Young Children
    Jun 1, 2022 – 00:30:58
  • Bias and the Developing Brain
    Jan 19, 2022 – 00:33:54
  • Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan—A Live Recording
    Dec 29, 2021 – 00:24:25
  • Making immigrant and refugee stories visible: a conversation with children’s book author Bao Phi
    Dec 15, 2021 – 00:34:34
  • What’s Happening in the Classroom? Early Childhood Educators and Implicit Bias
    Dec 1, 2021 – 00:36:59
  • Rethinking Thanksgiving: How to speak to young children about historical and racialized trauma
    Nov 17, 2021 – 00:33:04
  • Race Matters: A Conversation about Transracial Adoption and Multiracial Families
    Nov 3, 2021 – 00:36:14
  • The Danger of Being ‘Color Silent’: Talking about Race with Young Children
    Oct 20, 2021 – 00:36:36
  • Teaching Anti-Racism; A Live Recording
    Jun 25, 2021 – 00:51:00
  • Connecting Children to Indigenous Cultures
    May 26, 2021 – 00:24:42
  • Where Does Racism Come From? Best Selling Author and Therapist Resmaa Menakem Breaks It Down for Caregivers
    May 19, 2021 – 00:31:52
  • When it comes to race, there is no such thing as "colorblind" - at home or in school
    May 12, 2021 – 00:23:58
  • Healing the hurt; helping children work through racialized conflict
    May 5, 2021 – 00:31:29
  • We Are the Same and We Are Different; How to Talk about Diversity with White Kids in White Communities
    Apr 28, 2021 – 00:29:04
  • Bad Things Happen: Helping Young Children Process Racism and Violence.
    Apr 21, 2021 – 00:27:58
  • Early Risers Trailer
    Apr 2, 2021 – 00:01:40
Recent Reviews
  • Rie-embody
    A must-listen for anyone with kids, grandkids, niblings, etc!
    I can’t say enough good things about this podcast! By its very existence it challenges the prevailing belief that little children can’t engage in conversations about race. Dianne’s presence as a host is positive, kind and encouraging. She never makes the listener feel like this is stuff they should already know. Yet, she’s firm that the conversation is urgently needed, and she consistently provides information and resources to help the listener out. Bravo!
  • lfurniss
    Extremely Thoughtful and Relevant Podcast
    As a first-time mom to a young toddler, I have found this podcast so empowering, informative, and reassuring. I love the varied ways the podcast explores how race impacts young children and the host and guests always refer to compelling and credible research. One of my greatest anxieties as a parent is how to teach my children to be antiracist and how to not pass on my own biases to them. It’s intimidating because this takes time, intention, and reflection—something parents of very young children often don’t have access to in our hectic lives. This podcast has helped me carve out those critical moments of reflection and intention-setting. Thank you.
  • JC handball
    Needed for healing
    This podcast gives wonderful, educated, nuanced, lived life experiences voice of many in our black and brown communities. Communities we often overlook and don’t listen to. It may make some uncomfortable to hear the loving conversations and connections but it is necessary to help heal and bring light to their plight. So we can all learn to be better, caring, sensitive human beings to people that have had a much different “lived” experience in our society. Thank you, A Proud MPR Sustainer
  • Notgreatbutgettingbetter
    Perfect for adults of all ages and backgrounds
    One of the beautiful aspects of learning how to have tough conversations with children is that the same concepts often apply to having those same conversations with adults. This podcast is equipping us with invaluable tools for EVERY conversation we look to have around challenging topics!
  • Megan Rogholt
    Looking forward
    Although I rarely get out of the house these days, today I decided to pick up takeout for lunch. During my brief drive, I was able to listen to the initial interview with Dianne Haulcy debuting this new podcast. Perfect timing! As an early childhood educator and professor of early education, this podcast is what every parent and educator needs! Dianne, you are right...we don’t talk about race in Minnesota and we often shut our children down when they notice the differences in skin color. What a disservice we are giving to our kids. Let’s talk about it...let’s listen...let’s do more to stop the racial injustices in our communities. I can’t wait to listen! Thank you for creating these podcasts and starting the conversations! Megan Rogholt Twitter: @mrogholt
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.