DELAWARE - United Way of Delaware, and YWCA of Delaware are challenging members of the community to engage in self-reflection and commit to making a difference in their daily lives.
Those who sign up for the challenge will receive a daily email prompting them to complete activities ranging from reading articles, watching video clips, or listening to podcast. These tasks vary in time commitment from 5-30 minutes so that even those with the busiest of schedules can participate.
For a number of years there have been other iterations of the challenge that both organizations have led throughout the United States. This time, the effort is taking an approach focuses on the First State including writings from local people and University of Delaware professors. At the same time the project hones in specifically on the ways in which members of the Black and African American communities are affected by racism.
Tierra Fair, Communications Director for United Way of Delaware, explained that the need for such a challenge has become more salient amid recent civil unrest that has swept the country in the call for racial equity.
"After the murder of George Floyd I think many of us galvanized together that we have to take a stand and do something different," said Fair. "We decided to start with something simple. Something where people can learn and grow," she continued.
Fair noted that holding oneself accountable for the role they have played in perpetuating racist systems is difficult, but encourages those who participate in the challenge to embrace this discomfort.
“You are going to read some things and you may not agree; you may not think that that is true, but just accept that people have experiences," she said. Fair expressed that the process of unlearning harmful and biased behaviors will be different for everyone, and that people should come into this experience with an open mind rather than get defensive. “It’s not a time to be ashamed of your ignorance. It’s a time to understand that we are all ignorant in someway or another and just learn”.
The challenge begins Monday, August 17th and will continue Mon-Fri until September 14th. During this time United Way of Delaware and YWCA of Delaware will be facilitating discussions through a Facebook group dedicated to the 21 Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge.
