Welcome to week 5 of the 21 Week Equity Challenge!   We are hosting this statewide Equity Challenge as an exercise in growth and understanding. Throughout the Challenge, there may be media outlets, celebrities, reporters and sources you don't typically follow. We know it can be difficult to connect when someone’s point of view is outside of our own experience, but we believe reading, hearing and considering a variety of personal stories and views are essential steps in improving equity and inclusion in our communities. Thank you for joining us with an open mind and willingness to explore as we learn together.   Our weekly topics will now shift to examine the four levels of racism as we seek to better understand how it impacts our lives and communities. This week, we start with internalized racism.

Week 5: Internalized Racism How do you relate to the notions of internalized racial inferiority and superiority? Is either one familiar to you? If so, how do they show up in your life? How do they interact with feelings associated with other aspects of your identity like gender, age, ethnicity, class status, etc.? See if you can identify any specific feelings as they surface while doing this challenge. What comes up? What messages do these feelings convey?

Internalized racism or internalized racial oppression is a legacy of systemic and structural racism that has become present in how we think, act and perceive ourselves and others. It manifests in two ways: internalized racial inferiority and internalized racial superiority. Internalized racism can be hard for us to identify and talk about because it has been reinforced by generations of cultural messaging. It is rooted in pervasive cultural norms, beliefs, biases, and standards of beauty.

WEEK 5 CHALLENGE With the questions and definition above in mind, do at least one of the following:

READ Got Internalized White Superiority? The Danger of Denial and the Promise of Another Way (6-minute read) Antiracism facilitator Jen Willsea defines internalized white superiority, how it shows up, and why and how to start unlearning beliefs and behaviors that have been internalized. Latinx College Students are Struggling with Self-Hate, but Counselors can Help, Scholar Finds (6-minute read) This article explores the ways in which Latinx college students internalize racism and how counselors are helping them heal and thrive.

WATCH Internalized Racism Part 5, with Dee Watts-Jones (2:49) Dee Watts-Jones explains the concept of internalized racism as internalized racial inferiority and its negative consequences. Black Self / White World — Lessons on Internalized Racism (9:12) Community leader, activist and educator Jabari Lyles discusses his personal journey to understanding and loving himself as a Black man, despite growing up among a predominantly white community. (Subtítulos en español disponibles.)

LISTEN Don't Call Me an Oreo: Tomi & Alex (34-minute listen) Do the Work is a podcast hosted by Brandon Kyle Goodman about race and our personal relationships. In this episode, two friends discuss how it feels to be a person of color in a world in which your greatness is measured in whiteness.

Thank you to everyone who met last week’s challenge by sharing their reflections and resources that were helpful in deepening your understanding! We have created a place on our website to share additional equity resources including those sent in by participants like you, as well as longer form explorations and book recommendations.   Share your reflections or additional resources about today’s topic on social media using #EquityChallenge - or send us a note at uww@unitedwaywi.org

UNITED WAY OF WISCONSIN | www.unitedwaywi.org

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