Are you committed enough to being a change-agent that you are willing to step up to a renewed three-week challenge from United Way of Southwest Michigan? If so, plan to start with everybody else on that journey beginning January 18th.
That’s when United Way of Southwest Michigan will re-launch their 21-day Equity Challenge for those willing to commit to change, understand, and confront racism this winter.
Following the success of their first 21-day Equity Challenge last September, United Way of Southwest Michigan is re-launching the interactive digital program for individuals to deepen their understanding of and willingness to confront racism, starting on January 18th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
United Way leaders say they are proud to once again give the community the opportunity to take a self-guided learning journey to discover the history and impacts of racism and how it has shaped the lives of people in Southwest Michigan while inspiring participants with resources and tools to build racial equity in their work and lives.
Like last time, people from all over Southwest Michigan will participate in the Equity Challenge, coordinated by United Way of Southwest Michigan to raise awareness, shift attitudes, and change outcomes.
New this time, participants can preview the challenge with a “5-day warm-up” before committing to the challenge. Anna Murphy, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Michigan tells us, “The 5-day warm-up provides insight into the full scale 21-Day Equity Challenge, and it is our hope that after the warm-up individuals and organizations will be eager to sign up to participate in the full challenge.”
At the launch of the first Equity Challenge, Murphy said, “As an organization, we are committed to understanding and undoing racism in our community. By taking the challenge, made up of small daily email prompts delivered each morning, we can all easily participate in this transformative effort.”
Murphy continued, “We are not the experts in this space, and we are not owning this work, but we want to come alongside individuals, nonprofits, and businesses in this journey of learning. And we invite individuals, nonprofits, and business to join us and bring along staff, boards, and even customers.”
More than 800 people throughout Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties signed up for the challenge last September—and 75-percent of them had a 100-percent completion rate, a testament to how engaging the challenge was each day.
After participating in the challenge, here’s what some participants had to say:
- “I feel disheartened about the disparity of advantages between myself and others in my community.”
- “With this challenge, I cleaned up my own act a little—and talked about it with a grandson.”
- “I became better equipped with facts to back the beliefs I already have.”
- “I just didn’t realize how privileged I was.”
To join the challenge, simply visit http://uwsm.org and sign up with your email address.
What happens during the challenge?
For 21 days, participants receive an email “prompt” with a short reading or video or audio file. Participants are encouraged to take about 10-15 minutes each day considering the material in the prompt. Extra resources are provided in case they want to dig further into the day’s topic.
The daily prompts will explore many different facets of racism and how they intersect with other social and economic issues, as well as provide guidance on building a race equity culture and becoming an ally. The prompts also offer tools for the racial equity change process and ways to take action in our community.
You can explore this work on your own, with friends and family, or even organization-wide.
How did the challenge start?
The recent release of the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and Black Households Data clearly illustrates the inequities that are deeply rooted in our national, state, and local systems and institutions.
United Way of Washtenaw County successfully issued the Equity Challenge, engaging over 5,000 participants in January of 2020. The Michigan Association of United Ways adapted the challenge with the support of leaders across the Michigan United Way network, and now United Ways across the state plan to follow their lead.
United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in every community. They have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit, and public partners, they provide immediate assistance to the most vulnerable populations among us while addressing the root causes of the community’s longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy, and volunteering— you can visit www.uwsm.org.
