Disrupting Racism and Colonialism in Early Childhood Education Starting with Positionality: The Transformative Power of the Arts

Abstract

Transformation is required in Canadian early childhood education, where colonialism and racism continue to impact young learners who identify as Indigenous, Black, and/or a Person of Colour (Davies et al., 2024). This is often an unacknowledged reality within the field, even amidst numerous studies showcasing racial and colonial harm (Berman et al., 2017; Daniel & Escayg, 2019; MacNevin & Berman, 2017; Stirling-Cameron et al., 2023;Templeton & Cheruvu, 2020). It therefore becomes necessary to explore the conditions in which colonial and racial discourses can be disrupted in early childhood to be more aligned with equitable and decolonizing practices.