Homa Tavangar: Raising Children to Be At Home in The World

The Baha’i writings say that, “A child is like a young plant, it will grow in whatever way you train it.” – Abdu’l-Baha, from a tablet translated from the Persian. 

Homa Tavangar believes that a thoughtful, intentional approach to education predicated on equity and inclusiveness can raise children who see themselves as members of a diverse, expressive global community.

We can raise children as global citizens, Homa teaches, based on meaningful relationships and reverence for the human spirit.  

A scholar, educator, writer, adviser to diverse organizations, and public speaker, Homa, together with Eric Dozier, founded the Oneness Lab (onenesslab.com), where they have innovated a new educational model that goes deeper than diversity through five elements of relationship building: 

• Frequency, 
• Proximity, 
• Reciprocity, 
• Knowledge, and 
• Imagination.  

Her best-selling book Growing up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World offers parents a “toolbox” of fun activities, conversation starters, geographical awareness and diverse cultural traditions, that can help to cultivate a global literacy within our youth.  

Homa is Series Consultant for NBC’s animated children’s program Nina’s World, starring Rita Moreno and Mandy Patinkin, which is based in part on Growing Up Global, and an advisor to the Disney Channel and Empatico.org, an initiative focused on deepening empathy by connecting classrooms around the world.  

Homa’s latest project is Global Kids, a deck of 50 cards with activities from around the world, intended to open minds and hearts while kids have fun. She serves on the board of the Tahirih Justice Center, assisting immigrant women and girls fleeing violence, and on the board of International School Services, the largest provider of support to international schools around the world. In addition to her diverse service-oriented work, she is a wife and mother of three daughters.  

In this episode of America’s Most Challenging Issue, I sit down with Homa Tavangar to discuss her advocacy for a unified humanity through equity, inclusiveness, relationship building and respect for the spiritual endowment of every human being.