The 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge is based on the notion that it takes 21 days to change a habit. It was introduced last year by YWCA Cleveland and their impact and success with the campaign has become a model for YWCAs nationwide. We are honored to present the challenge to South Florida as a way to encourage discussion, action and change in our community.

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. Participants are presented with daily challenges via email that invite them to choose one of three options such as:

• Reading an article
• Listening to a podcast
• Reflecting on personal experience

Participation in an activity like this helps us to discover how racial injustice and social injustice impact our community, to connect with one another, and to identify actionable ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.

This is an exciting opportunity to dive deep into racial equity and social justice and to set the stage for moving forward with actionable change that helps fulfill YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women.

It is both an outcome and a process. As a process, we apply racial equity to policies, systems, structures and institutions by analyzing data so we can identify, uncover and remove barriers that produce disparate (unfavorable) outcomes based on race. As an outcome, racial equity is the condition that would be achieved if one’s racial identity no longer predicted, in a statistical sense, how one fares in society.

WEEK 1 – ECONOMIC JUSTICE

WEEK 2 – EDUCATION

WEEK 3 – CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

WEEK 4 – PUBLIC HEALTH

BONUS WEEK – VOTING

We think the Challenge is one of the most powerful interventions an organization can do. It’s the first step to build community and create an inclusive culture. This journey starts with learning, and the Challenge can lead to transformative results, including:

• Building new, positive habits that can change ourselves, our teams, our organizations and our communities
• Taking small actions alongside one another to create momentum and a sense of teamwork
• Creating a profound, elevating experience to increase the likelihood that participants will take action
• Participating in meaningful conversations about racism and social justice

To organize a team to do the Challenge together, first identify a Team Captain that can help rally team members and support with Q&As.

After identifying the Team Captain, please contact Stephanie Cota at scota@ywcasouthflorida.org to have your Team added to our list of committed teams championing the Challenge.

With your Team added to the list, the Team Captain and fellow team members can select your Team name and complete their registrations in our 21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Host a launch event to generate excitement and introduce participants to the benefits and goals of the Challenge.
• Encourage participants to use the reflection log provided in the program.
• Teams can meet weekly to discuss and reflect on the Challenge together.

Questions to explore could include:

• How did the activities make you feel?
• What were your ah-hah moments?
• What actions have you taken based on the activities? What actions would you like to take?
• What further resources (reading, research, tools, and/or strategies) do you need to take action?

Use our conversation guidelines as a way to help people feel safe when discussing their personal experiences:

• What you share within the context of the group is confidential, honored and respected.
• Use “I” statements; no one speaks for another or for an entire group of people.
• Avoid critiquing others’ experiences; focus on your own experiences.
• Be honest and willing to share.
• Listen with curiosity and the willingness to learn and change. Resist the desire to interrupt.
• Be brief and share time equally.
• Suspend judgment. Be open to the kernel of truth in each person’s story.

It is important to us that we get to learn more about you before we embark on this journey together. Please take 2 minutes to complete our pre-event survey.

Contact Angelica Ramcharran, aramcharran@ywcasouthflorida.org, to get ideas and join the movement!