Philosophy for Children classes at El Concilio in Kalamazoo, Michigan

The main purpose of the project "“I Still Feel Like Me”: Epistemic Justice and Philosophy for Children Pedagogies for Students
with Immigrant Backgrounds" was to create philosophical content for the immigrant community in Michigan.

The project begins with the assumption that philosophy has a socio-political impact in local and global communities, which can flourish when given opportunities for philosophical exploration and debate. When we give opportunities for children to explore the philosophical questions that are of interest to them, this has a larger impact on their lives than we often appreciate. This impact shows in their improvement of logical, critical and thinking/reflection skills, mutual respect for others’ perspectives, their ability to challenge preconceived notions in their communities, strengthening a
creative attitude of self-awareness, insight into one’s own emotions, and self-affirmation, personal and interpersonal skills for moral thinking, and honing children’s “natural tendency” to solve
problems creatively, among other skills.

In this sense, bilingual philosophical content was generated for Philosophy for Children (P4C) sessions throughout the Spring 2021 semester with El Concilio, a non-profit, community-focused organization that helps Latinx residents support their families, contribute to society and appreciate their cultural significance in the region.