Ages 10–16 · A resilience toolkit
Today's power: I can do it
Hey fam. The world can feel like a lot sometimes, but knowledge is power, and you come from greatness. Auntie Nia’s about to walk you through the things that keep you strong, proud, and thriving.
Auntie Nia reads to you. Just tap the big button!
Follow Auntie Nia through nine Things that keep you strong, plus a bonus toolkit and a finale.
Tap each word. Then say one out loud, and hear yourself say it.
Now YOU say it: “I come from greatness.”
Say it out loud, like you mean it.
💪🏾 Resilience Meter
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“You have rights that can’t be taken away,” said Auntie Nia. “The Civil Rights laws protect you, and knowing them is its own kind of power.”
Big idea: Learn your rights, and keep a few trusted phone numbers (a parent, a counselor, a community legal-aid line) for when systems don’t treat you fairly.
Your turn: tap each card to flip it
“Your culture is your strength,” said Auntie Nia. “Your history started long before slavery, full of kings, queens, inventors, and artists.”
Big idea: Read books that celebrate you, enjoy traditions (music, food, art, braiding, drum circles) and learn your heroes beyond the few in the textbook.
Your turn: tap a root you want to explore
“You are beautiful and brilliant, just as you are,” Auntie Nia said. “Confidence is armor for a world that might question your worth.”
Big idea: Say your affirmations daily. Find your voice through art, music, dance, and writing. Your ancestors’ strength flows through you.
Your turn: tap each one to collect it, then say it out loud
“If something feels unfair, your feelings are real,” said Auntie Nia. “Learning to name it is the first step to changing it.”
Big idea: Notice the signs, question who’s missing from the history lessons, and talk it through with a trusted adult. Understanding problems helps you become part of the solution.
Your turn: tap each card for what you can do
“Don’t let anyone dim your academic shine,” said Auntie Nia. “Ask about advanced programs. Find mentors who look like you.”
Big idea: You deserve every opportunity. And if you’re ever punished more harshly than others, that’s bias: speak up.
Your turn: tap what fits, and hear what to do
“Our people have always found ways to resist,” said Auntie Nia. “That strength lives in you, too.”
Big idea: Together we’re stronger than alone. You’re part of a long line of people who overcame.
Your turn: tap to discover our history of resilience
“You don’t have to do this alone,” Auntie Nia reminded. “Find your people: at school, in the community, and in your family.”
Big idea: Look for ‘Safe Space’ teachers, Black Student Unions, your church or community center, mentors, and family. And online, protect your energy.
Your turn: tap where you can find your people
“Black joy is revolutionary,” Auntie Nia smiled. “Rest isn’t lazy. It’s how you keep going. And your feelings all matter.”
Big idea: Move your body, sleep, and take joy breaks. Name your feelings: anger, fear, sadness are all valid. It’s okay to talk to a counselor or therapist.
Your turn: take a calm-down breath
Your turn: name a feeling (they’re all valid)
Your turn: claim a joy
“What you’ve learned is your superpower,” said Auntie Nia. “Your voice matters: use it for yourself and your community.”
Big idea: Speak up clearly, connect with others who share your vision, and know your facts. Together, your impact multiplies.
Your turn: tap a way to use your voice
Auntie Nia’s extra gems: tap a card to flip it.
📱 Digital Safety
💰 Money Basics
“Remember, kings and queens: you come from greatness,” said Auntie Nia. “This is just another challenge, and our people have overcome so much more.”
Your toolkit: know your rights, celebrate your identity, build confidence, understand and name unfairness, learn, find your people, rest, and lead. You got this. We got you.
Your turn: tap your resilience pledge
What this builds (transformative SEL): Agency (“I can do it”) with a thread of Identity (“Who I am”).
This toolkit affirms Black children ages 10–16 and gives them concrete resilience skills: knowing their rights, cultural pride, self-confidence, naming and discussing unfairness, finding safe adults and spaces, caring for mental and physical health, and using their voice.
How to use it: go through it alongside your young person and pause after each “Thing” to share a real example from your own life or family. The reflection prompts are great conversation starters.
A note on scope: this version keeps the focus on enduring resilience and identity skills. It intentionally leaves out fast-changing political specifics so it stays useful and steady over time. Talk through current events together in the way that fits your family.
This is a practice tool for building skills, not therapy, counseling, or a clinical service.
🧑🏫 For grown-ups: a companion practice for the adults in this child’s corner: When They Come Home Deflated.
Nothing your young person taps or types here is saved or sent anywhere. Everything lives only on this page and disappears when the tab closes. No accounts, no tracking.
If they record their voice for a “say it” moment, the recording lives only on the device: it is never saved or uploaded, and it is gone when the page closes.
The McCray Learning Lab