by Rosana Modugno

Created on: January 24, 2009   Last Updated: March 13, 2009

I am the epitome of a child born into the acceptance of all races; innocent to prejudice that mankind has created due to its ignorance of other people's cultures and race.

When you point something out, it gets noticed, especially when you point it out to a child. Children are born innocent, without awareness of difference. So it's safe to say that anything a child views with diversity, is most likely something that has been taught.

I was born in South America to a Brazilian mother and an Italian father. My house was filled with many different skin tones. It's something I never noticed or questioned because I saw it every day, so for me, this was life, filled with wonderful variations of people and colors. A discussion about race never existed in our home. We knew people were different everywhere and it started just by looking at our own dinner table.

Being raised in Brooklyn, NY, only reinforced the acceptance I had for the many races in the world. The city was full of culture, rich with its own music, style, religion and foods. I accepted everyone and they accepted me. I never had an issue as a child with anyone regarding race, nor have I had one as an adult. But that's the way I was raised. Not all children can be that fortunate.

There are children who are raised with this mark of intolerance by parents who were also raised with the same mark, and so on. We can't blame their parents because for that, we would have to blame their grandparents, and continue all the way down to the beginning of their ancestral lineage. We could be there forever blaming and that won't help change anything. But we can stop the line from growing by educating their children, to ensure it will not be passed down again.

I believe the best way to teach a child about racial differences is not to say a word unless they ask. Neither of my children ever asked why people look different. It was naturally a part of them not to question it because their parents never pointed the differences out.

Of course there are curious children out there and if one does ask about the differences in race, features or skin color, how do you explain it? The same way you would explain it to an adult.

Children are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. Their little brains are like sponges, waiting to soak up the next lesson and eager to learn something new. It's our job to educate them. We as parents have an obligation to teach them first, before they learn it in school or on the streets. We should always have

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