Thank you to our 2021 Challenge ambassadors!
*NEW!* You asked, they’re here! We have a limited number of Stand Against Racism/21-Day Challenge yard signs available. $10 each; contact us at advocacy@ywcadayton.org. (Not local? Download a printable version HERE.)
About the 21-Day Challenge
The challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. The 21-Day Equity Challenge was created by Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. (#BlackMind) and co-developed with Debby Irving and Dr. Marguerite Penick (#DiverseSolutions). The plan has been adopted by organizations, associations, and corporations all over the world. Dr.Moore is director of the Privilege Institute in Green Bay, Wis., and created the Challenge to not only help people better understand issues surrounding equity, inclusion, privilege, leadership, and supremacy, but also to do so in a way that would build a habit of learning by stretching it over 21 days. We are excited to be offering you this 21-Day Challenge in partnership with Dr. Moore. As you engage in the various activities over the next 21 days, be sure to tag, comment, and follow @ywcadayton across all social platforms, and Dr. Moore’s 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge page on Facebook.
We also want to thank YWCA Greater Cleveland for inspiring this challenge. They, in turn, were inspired by Food Solutions New England — they were the first to adapt an exercise from Dr. Moore and Irving’s book into the interactive 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge, which they launched in 2014.
Participants will be prompted daily with challenges such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, reflecting on personal experiences, and more. Participation in an activity like this helps us to discover how racial injustice and social injustice impact our community, connect with one another, and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.
This is an exciting opportunity to dive deep into racial equity and social justice. We hope you’ll join us and accept this challenge. Our next edition of the Challenge begins on Thursday, April 1, and continues daily through April 21.
On Day 1, you will receive an introductory email explaining the purpose of the challenge and your Challenge Reflection Log – a tool to ensure you are taking full advantage of what the challenge has to offer. Follow the conversation using #YWCAEquityChallenge and #ABetterWayABetterDAY.
2021 Challenge Participant
About Stand Against Racism
Stand Against Racism is a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities. In 2020, it was held April 23-26.
This campaign is one part of our larger national strategy to fulfill our mission of eliminating racism. Founded by YWCA Trenton and YWCA Princeton in 2007, Stand Against Racism quickly grew to a national presence by 2010, when an additional 80 YWCAs across the nation participated. In 2019, over 470 Stand Against Racism events were held nationwide, in nearly every state. Participants included over 180 YWCAs, as well as state and local governments, schools, nonprofit organizations, various companies and small businesses, houses of worship, and more.
21 Day Challenge FAQ
April 1-21 marks the 21 days leading up to YWCA USA’s Stand Against Racism campaign (see above for more details).
Starting on April 1, expect to receive daily emails at 6 a.m. containing your challenge prompts. (NOTE: You must sign up prior to 5 p.m. the night before to receive that day’s Challenge email. You only need to sign up once, and you will then receive all following emails.)
Tell others you’re participating and engage with other participants in the challenge by sharing your reflections on social media using the hashtags #YWCAEquityChallenge and #ABetterWayABetterDAY. You can also join the 21-Day Challenge Facebook group.
We also encourage participants to send us their thoughts at advocacy@ywcadayton.org to share on our blog.
And, we’ll be hosting virtual Challenge Meetups to unpack Challenge themes, discuss prompts, etc. throughout the Challenge. Stay tuned for further details once the Challenge begins.
First, check your SPAM folder(s) and do a keyword search of your inbox to make sure messages didn’t land in a hidden spot. Emails are sent FROM: YWCA Dayton <communications@ywcadayton.org> and the subject lines begin with the corresponding day of the Challenge (i.e., Day 1, Day 2, etc.).
Still looking? Contact us at communications@ywcadayton.org or 937-461-5550 x155 and we will help troubleshoot.
Yes! You can sign up at any point during the Challenge and will receive emails from the point of signup and onward.
Participating in the Challenge previously is not a prerequisite for participating this time. New to the Challenge? Welcome. We think you will find it a transformative experience. Back for a second, third, or fourth time? While you might recognize some of the themes or resources from your previous Challenges, the content is continually changing and being updated — especially for the moment we’re currently in — so you’re sure to learn something new.