Meet preschool teacher and children's rights activist Mikael Lind Crona - or The Colorful Pedagogue as he is called on Instagram. With a lot of commitment, consideration, humor and warmth, Mikael spreads knowledge and invites conversations about LGBTQIA+, inclusion, bullying and the power of words.
– The colorful educator means a lot to me! Partly because I take the younger version of myself in hand and fight for his right to be listened to, but also for everyone out there who has been or is bullied today. You are good just the way you are, and if you want a safe digital space to come to, there is always my account or write to me in DM!

Hi Mikael! Who are YOU?

– Hm, my name is Mikael and I would define myself as a colorful creative firework. I always have socks that don't really match because I think it's stylish and think: who even decided that you should have the same pair? And then I think about when I myself as a child always thought it was so embarrassing if I happened to put on different socks, I don't want anyone else to have to think or feel that. I mean, they're just socks, right?

I am a father of two children and husband to my wife, but I am also a trained preschool teacher. I wrote a C-essay about children's perceptions of gender roles based on children's thoughts. Because I think it is so important to both raise children's voices but also actively work with safe environments in preschools and schools where children can be or become exactly who they want to be. I am a child rights activist and am very involved in the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. I think it is important to see each child based on their needs and circumstances and to actively find tools that work for each child. I have a lot of experience with children with npf diagnoses and think it is important to highlight the importance of resources in preschool and school so that all children feel good and get the support they need, regardless of whether they have a diagnosis or not.

– I usually think that life is full of contrasts, also in emotions, but I would say that I feel good right now. It feels great to have so many nice people close to me both physically and digitally.


Tell us about The Colorful Educator!

– Oh, how nice of you to bring it up! Hm, where do I start? Well, it all really started when I went out on social media in 2022 and started talking more openly about the bullying I was subjected to during high school, where one post in particular got quite a bit of attention. A friend wrote to me that I should start an open Instagram account where I publish my posts so that more people could read them.

Around the same time, someone at the preschool where I work started calling me "the colorful teacher" because she thought I always met everyone with joy but also that I dared to wear so much color in my clothes. She encouraged me to continue to dare to be me, which made me very happy but also even more excited to make a difference.

These two events together became the start of my Instagram account "the colorful educator" where the idea is that it should feel like a safe place to come to. The topics of the posts are mixed, but there is a thought about everything I do. My focus is always everyone's right to be who they are, to be seen and to be part of a context where everyone is allowed to be. I want when people discover "the colorful educator" it to feel like a warm hug, if you like hugs, and that it becomes like an encouraging community that spreads love, joy and support in life's ups and downs.

The account doesn't have a very large number of followers, but I tend to think that if I can help just one person, it's worth it, which has led to many people contacting me and thanking me for the posts that encourage, bring laughter and joy, help them understand themselves but also support them because it feels good to know that you're not alone in the tough things you're experiencing.

I put a lot of time into each post so it feels nice that people are touched by them in different ways. I would also say that the account is a bit like me, an exuberant fireworks display full of contrasts and it has also received a lot of positive feedback precisely because I mix depth with lightness, seriousness with humor and knowledge with fun.

When I started using social media, I needed an account like "the colorful educator" who dares to raise difficult issues and who cracks that facade of the perfect life that often appears on social media. I especially remember feeling sad when I saw how others went to parties while I sat in front of the computer uninvited because I was too different to be allowed to join. Every now and then, I needed to read posts that showed that I wasn't alone in it, that more people were experiencing similar things. So "the colorful educator" means a lot to me as I take the younger version of myself in hand and fight for his right to be listened to, but also for everyone out there who has been or is being bullied today. You are good just the way you are, and if you want a safe digital space to come to, my account and I are always in DM.


You mention the younger version of yourself, what would you say to him today?

– I would say that he is good just the way he is! I would also say that it was the right decision to dare to start the theater line at a new school in a completely different city because he will make friends both at school and outside of his hometown who will like him exactly for who he is. He will flourish and become himself again. I know that it is very scary to break free from the control of bullies, but once you do it, it feels a bit like a butterfly breaking free from its chrysalis, ready for a scary but exciting new start.


What do you dream about?

– Acting in films and on stage. I dream of releasing a children's book, actually have one in the works. I also dream of one day being able to lecture to people about how important it is to work with everyone's equal value in schools and preschools, where I would also put extra focus on LGBTQIA+ people, as this is not highlighted enough in my opinion. To become an ambassador for the Friends foundation.

What does DIFFERENT mean to you?

– Oh, so much. OLIKA is like a guarantor of inclusion where you at the publisher ensure that there are books for everyone. You are important in my work as a preschool teacher where reading aloud together with the children is important for their language development.

I think that through you, the children will find books that represent them, which will make them feel included but also make it more fun for them to participate in the reading aloud.

I also think that the representation from your books is preventive against bullying, which I am very involved in. I believe that the more you work with representation in books and in preschool and school, the more you prevent bullying from occurring. Many people bully because they see someone who is not like themselves and where there are not enough adults who have worked with representation around them.

DIFFERENT has also meant a lot to me as a parent as my wife and I have read a lot of your books for our children. It has meant that they never think something is "strange" or "wrong" just because it is different. My children have said many nice things over the years but one of the nicest was "You decide for yourself whether you are he, she or him, no one else does" which really shows that representation makes a difference.


Who is your role model?

– Difficult question, not because it is difficult to find role models but because I have many. But I would say everyone in my small and large family, each of whom has qualities and knowledge that I think are important and should be shared.

I would like to mention a female role model that I have had for many years, Rosa Parks, who took courage and did what was right when she demonstrated for equal rights for people in the United States.

I would also like to mention Tomas Kaya who is making a difference through his work for children's rights. I am very inspired by his courage to speak his mind and stand up for what he believes in.


What makes you happy?

– The first thing I think of is playing Mario Kart with my wife Carro and my children Alice and Noah. I also get happy to spend time with my small and large family. I have many friends around me who also make me happy. My group of friends Gudrun and Ellen and Elin who always cheer me up. I also get very happy to choose clothes in the morning as I love to create different expressions in my style. I get happy to be able to help people in general, but also via my Instagram, it feels so nice to extend a colorful hand that always protects everyone's right to be themselves.

Of course, I'm also happy to meet the children at my job, it's always exciting to see what adventures await around the corner. I love to play, it may sound really strange to do it as an adult, but making up games together with the family or at work with the children is worth its weight in gold. Some favorites are "the magic jump rope" which is used to find little trolls and fairies in snow caves, or why not "the old man with the stick" who, with his magical powers and help from children, can find insects and crawling things. Or the ice witch with the evil hairbrush that turns everything into ice. Haha, yes, I really think you're never too old to play!


What would you like to say to those reading?

– You are important, you are good, you make a difference and I believe in you. I was bullied because I wasn't "like a guy should be" which I also took the blame for for many years. I think that's why it took 10 years before I dared to tell about it. What happened to me was wrong, but it wasn't my fault.

When you are bullied or otherwise abused, it is so easy to blame yourself because it somehow feels easier. It did for me too. But I promise, it is never ever you who is bullied who is wrong, it is the bullies. You are always good just the way you are!

I also want to encourage us to get involved and make a difference together in the world, around us and on social media. With all the terrible things happening, it's so easy to feel like everything is hopeless, that "little me" is not visible in the big picture, but I think that every little kind thing you do, say or write can mean a lot to someone else.

The song I'm so happy by Salem Al fakir is a great song to use when something goes wrong. A good friend and I always played it when we worked together when it was a gray day or something didn't go quite as we had planned and then suddenly we felt a little better. I interpret the song a lot to mean that you shouldn't take everything too seriously, that it doesn't matter if things don't always go as you planned, but that it's better to laugh about it together and move on.

Keep going, just as you are, because without you the world would be pretty boring! And if you're thinking "Oh, how embarrassing they got it wrong again" then don't forget that I managed to get lost in a store, into the warehouse without a phone and thought I would be stuck there forever. But you know what? I got out, haha!

A friend once told me "If someone thinks you're too sensitive, let them think so." Being a person who dares to show emotions and who has a lot of feelings can be really difficult sometimes, but then it's important to think that it's a quality that is also important! You're not "too sensitive" just because others don't have the same way of showing their emotions as you. We need to show our emotions more, then more people would feel better!

You can never be too kind, but you also have to remember to be kind to yourself!


Any tips you would like to share?

– I read the book "A Thousand Times Stronger" in high school, and it inspired me to fight against bullying. I think it highlights several important aspects that I really recognize from my own high school days.

Instagram accounts I would like to recommend:

@stiftelsenfriends draws attention to and does a great deal of work to prevent bullying and help those who are exposed.

@npfpussel highlights lots of wise thoughts about children with npf, families with children with npf and provides many nice perspectives that enrich and provide knowledge.

@tomaskaya puts the children's voice first, offering lots of tips and ideas for both preschool and school educators, as well as parents and other adults. He often describes his own childhood as a motivation to continue fighting for children's right to a safe childhood.

@denfarggladapedagogen I of course want to tell you about my own instagram too! Come in and follow, share, comment or just read! I'm also available in dm!

I would also like to recommend the book series and Netflix TV series Heartstopper, which highlights the everyday lives of LGBTQIA+ people in a very nice way. It also highlights how bullying affects people and how important it is to find a community where you feel comfortable and can be yourself.


What are your glimmers in everyday life?

– My wife and best friend Carro, who I am so grateful to share life with along with our children.

Bow ties for my shirts in different colors and shapes always add a little extra spice to everyday life. I think it's fun to always dress up, even for work at the preschool. So I really love lots of color!

Sweets on a Wednesday, how cozy is that?

Finally, the colorful educator always stands on the children's side. Love, understanding and respect are my watchwords. Together we make a difference! Follow along!❤️

Thank you so much Mikael! We are so happy and proud to share with us everything important you do and fight for! 💪🏾💕

Mikael's favorite books from OLIKA: Konrad's Dress, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Why is Daddy Crying?