21-DAY EQUITY CHALLENGE
DAY
“You see, it is ignorance which allowed us to have slavery. It is our ignorance which allowed for massacre in Germany, in Darfur, and in Cambodia. The heart overcomes our ignorance. Forgiveness is everything. When I think of forgiveness, I’m brought to weep with gratitude that it exists. We cannot see tomorrow’s sky, but the heart sees it. And we will be directed as to how we should act in tomorrow’s sky. More than likely we already know. But if we don’t, the heart will tell us if we listen.”

Maya Angelou from the film, The Power of the Heart
DEFINITION AND GENERAL CONCEPTS


The TENETS OF HEALING RACISM

  • Racism, as a disease woven into the moral and spiritual fiber of American society, obscures the possibility of establishing the reality of that oneness
  • Racism violates the dignity of humankind, retards the unfolding of the potentialities of its victims, corrupts its perpetrators, and blights human progress
  • The patterns of thinking and behaving that constitute racism have been learned and can be unlearned
  • Racism is marked by an imbalance in economic, political, and social power in favor of some ethnic, and cultural groups at the expense of others
  • An increase in awareness of the development and perpetuation of racism will lead to its elimination and the development of a just and peaceful world
  • The struggle against racism must, first and foremost, be waged in the heart 
6 Steps Leaders Can Take to Become Anti-Racist
(7-minute read)

Read the article below to learn steps to make a lasting change as a leader, especially if you are a white executive by embracing the role of being actively anti-racist.
Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
(10:54)

Description from YouTube: Luvvie Ajayi isn’t afraid to speak her mind or to be the one dissenting voice in a crowd, and neither should you. “Your silence serves no one,” says the writer, activist and self-proclaimed professional troublemaker. In this bright, uplifting talk, Ajayi shares three questions to ask yourself if you’re teetering on the edge of speaking up or quieting down – and encourages all of us to get a little more comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Race, History & Healing Project, Cultural Services,
City of Albuquerque

The Race, History & Healing Project was launched in response to community concerns about the Oñate statue and La Jornada public art installation on the grounds of the Albuquerque Museum.

The Oñate statue, one figure in La Jornada installation memorializing the late 1500s and early 1600s in New Mexico, was temporarily removed from view in June with the consent of the artist and in the interest of public safety. The Race, History & Healing Project invites public participation and input that result in community-led recommendations for the future of the Oñate statue and La Jornada public art installation.

The City remains committed to the important work of equity and inclusion in partnership with the community.
QUESTIONS?
For any questions about the challenge please reach out to Denise Nava of the Albuquerque Community Foundation or Hannah Royer of United Way of Central New Mexico.
If after reading this newsletter you felt that there are other co-workers, friends or family members you feel may benefit from the challenge, feel free to send them the link to sign up for the challenge found below!