RACIAL JUSTICE CHALLENGE: APRIL 17, 2023 – MAY 15, 2023
We are excited to announce the national launch of the Racial Justice Challenge. Previously known as the 21-Day Challenge, this is the same program developed by YWCA Greater Cleveland and brought to our community by the YWCA of Northwest Ohio with all new content and activities for 2023. Registration is now open.
WHAT IS THE RACIAL JUSTICE CHALLENGE?
The Stand Against Racism Challenge is a free virtual learning tool designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, equity, and leadership. Participants will be presented with 21 days of impactful challenges, such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, watching a video, and completing weekly action steps. This year, we will also offer weekly virtual discussions to unpack what we’ve learned each week.
Participation in an activity like this helps us to discover how racial and social injustice impacts our community, connect with one another, and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.
See below for frequently asked questions.
If you would like your company, organization, or group to participate in the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge, please contact acollins@ywcanwo.org.
2021 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS
Thank you to everyone who participated in the YWCA of Northwest Ohio Challenge last year. Over 1,750 people signed up for the Challenge, and nearly 100 companies and organizations participated. See our Challenge Champions below.
GOING NATIONWIDE
Since we launched in 2019, YWCA has had over 50,000 participants across the country take the challenge and reached 2,600 unique ZIP codes.
HONORING THE WORK
YWCA wants to thank and acknowledge Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., Debby Irving, and Dr. Marguerite Penick for their leadership in the interest of racial equity as exhibited in their 21-Day Racial Equity and Habit Building Challenge and the movement they helped to initiate. YWCA’s content is independently designed, written, and curated by YWCA staff as part of racial equity and social justice programs offered to the community.
The YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is trademarked, and while we encourage outside organizations to collaborate with or sponsor local challenges, all content must be hosted on YWCA association channels and published under the YWCA brand.
FAQ
You have the option to choose the app or website to complete challenges and engage. We will send you instructions and links for both.
We will also send you a daily email (Monday – Friday) as a reminder to complete the challenges and to inform you of the topic of the day.
There are several ways to engage!
- Start conversations and/or join conversations with others in the Chat
- Participate in the weekly virtual discussions
- Complete the weekly surveys
- Complete the suggested action steps
- Join the Racial Justice Facebook Group
Everyone must be registered separately to receive their unique invitation to join the Challenge. If you would like to participate as a company, organization, or group, you can:
- Contact the Racial Justice Director at acollins@ywcanwo.org for a marketing toolkit to share with your network.
- Request a registration spreadsheet that you can complete with everyone who will participate
- Request a Discussion Guide if you choose to run your own internal conversations
- Send your logo to acollins@ywcanwo.org to be included on the 2023 Challenge Champion Wall.
**The YWCA Racial Challenge is copywritten, and the materials are not available for duplication or use by other organizations.
Yes! You can sign up to participate anytime throughout the Challenge. You will have access to all the previous materials on the website or app.
Please keep in mind that we have a limited amount of spaces available, so please register as soon as possible.
Yes, the 2023 Challenge features all-new material. This year’s topics are highly relevant to current issues we face today while also providing participants with a contextual history of each topic.
2023 Topics:
- Disability
- Housing
- Music
- Mental Health
This year participants can participate in weekly virtual discussions. Organizations, companies, and groups that participate will receive the YWCA NWO 2023 Challenge Discussion Guide, which includes discussion questions, action steps, and self-care suggestions.
You will be invited to join the Challenge after you register. Once you join, you will have access to all the features offered this year, and you can even choose how you receive your notifications.
Yes! While the goal of the Racial Justice Challenge is to create a daily habit of viewing the world through a racial justice and equity lens, we realize that you’re busy. You can always catch up on weekends. We just ask that you complete the entire Challenge. Please stay with us!
Also, remember, you DO NOT have to complete EVERY item in the daily challenges. It’s your choice. You can complete a daily challenge in 10 minutes or less (in most cases).
If you have any technical difficulties or need help, please contact acollins@ywcanwo.org.
Thank you for participating in the 2023 Stand Against Racism Challenge!