Equity Challenge: Week 13 |
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This is week 13 of the Challenge, and we are concluding our section on institutional racism.
Our Challenge today encourages you to reflect on what you’ve learned and start addressing racism you identify in the institutions and organizations you belong to and interact with regularly.
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Here are some reflection questions for you to think about:
- What have you learned? What new ideas or insights did you explore?
- What connections did you make from week to week? How does information you learned about institutional racism relate to internalized racism and bias, or interpersonal racism and microaggressions? How do these levels of racism interact?
- Have you recognized racism in your workplace, clubs, government, faith group or other institutions? Do you know how to confront racism that you see in the institutions you’re a part of or interact with regularly?
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This section of our Challenge has focused on institutional racism - the ways in which institutional policies and practices create different outcomes for different racial groups. We explored sources that highlighted ways racism shows up in institutions, as well as sources that delved into how organizations can work toward diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.
Last week, we looked to further understanding of institutional racism by examining racism in media. The industries that comprise media – advertising, entertainment and journalism – play a significant role in the content and stories we encounter daily. Some of last week’s resources explored how bias and racism affect the people creating content, authoring stories, and making decisions about what and how information is shared. There was also information about how racism and bias impact content and how that, in turn, affects public perception.
In our next and concluding section, we will delve into structural racism – the system in which policy, practice, institutions, individuals and cultural norms work in various, reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity. Today, we challenge you to continue the work of recognizing and addressing institutional racism and to start making plans to help move your organizations and institutions along the continuum toward full inclusion, anti-racism and multiculturalism.
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Think about the previous weeks’ topics and connections you’ve made with the materials and do one or more of the following:
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ACT:
Think about one organization you interact with regularly (for example, your workplace). Assess where that organization falls in the Continuum on becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization. Consider sharing the continuum with others in the organization. Do you agree about where the organization is on the continuum? How can you support policies that move the organization closer to anti-racism?
When you identify bias or racism in a headline or news story, send a letter to the author and editor. Tell them your concerns and ask them to consider a correction.
Think about where you spend your money and do some research. Are the organizations and businesses you support engaging in equity work? Do they have a policy related to diversity, equity, inclusion and/or anti-racism? Do you support minority-owned businesses or equity-focused nonprofits? Consider making a spending plan that incorporates businesses and organizations that focus on equity and anti-racism.
Find out if your school, workplace, or faith group has an equity committee or initiative. What can you learn from them? Are they open to new members? Join if you can. Support in other ways if you can’t. If there isn’t one, is that something you can help to create? (Click here for some tips on how to get started.)
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Share your reflections or additional resources about today’s topic on social media using #EquityChallenge - or send us a note at unitedway@unitedwayracine.org
Learn more about the Challenge and review weekly topics by visiting
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A weekly book discussion group reading books on race and racism.
A yearlong, faith-based series of interactive and multidimensional public events. The series goal is to increase our understanding of how we think and feel about racism, resulting in actions that can help to transform us as individuals and the systems of racism in our country.
The YWCA of SEW Wisconsin offers a variety of trainings about different facets of equity, such as structural racism, cultural differences, social transformation and more.
Higher Expectations engages community partners, aligns efforts, and maximizes resources to promote excellence and equity in education and employment outcomes in Racine County.
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Hear from Deanna Singh, Founder/Chief Change Agent of Flying Elephant and her husband Justin on how to talk to your children about race to help children develop a healthy understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Events
The Legacy of Redlining in Racine Event Series
Join The Higher Expectations team along with some of our local and national partners as we examine the present-day impact of redlining in Racine. In this two-part series, we will first take a deeper look at redlining maps compared to current geographic data to investigate how past housing policies shaped some of Racine's present-day inequities. Next, we will share the research Higher Expectations has participated in to better understand inequities in our communities, as well as the steps our partnership has taken to begin to address them.
Presenters will include:
- Camille Busette, The Brookings Institute
- Dani Dekker-Shircel, Julian Thomas Elementary
- Anne Griffith, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
- Maia Jachimowicz, Results for America
- Matt Rejc, City of Racine
- Bard Swallow, Higher Expectations for Racine County
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Make your commitment to inclusion—the active, intentional and ongoing engagement with diversity—official by signing our Declaration of Inclusion Pledge. This pledge is to respect and appreciate all aspects of any person, including race, religion, skin color, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, physical abilities, age, parental status, work and behavioral styles, and the perspectives of each individual as shaped by their nation, culture and experiences. You will also receive our quarterly diversity newsletter to build your "equity muscle."
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