“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way.
But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that
surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come.
But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities,
and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended. ”
Nelson Mandela
Equity Challenge Week 6 Friday Next Steps
Today is the final day of our 6 Week Equity Challenge! We’d like to thank everyone for their efforts to better educate themselves and those around them in efforts relating to race equity.
Next Steps
For today’s email, we have two primary goals. One is to leave everyone with a list of possible next step actions. This includes resources to allow you to continue your learning, as this journey never really ends. Race equity is constantly evolving topic, and there’s always more to learn. This also includes resources on how you can go about addressing the issue of race equity in your life and your work.
Our other objective is to recruit people to Heart of Indiana United Way’s new Action Councils. Find out more, and get involved here.
Advancing Equity in Our Commmunity
At United Way, advancing equity is a critical part of our mission. We fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community – and that means focusing explicitly on communities of color. Over the last year we’ve seen a global pandemic inflict disproportionate damage on Black Americans and people of color. We’ve seen countless acts of racial violence that have brought us to a societal inflection point that left many asking – what can we do as individuals, nonprofits, companies, governments, and as a human race to truly make our world a more equitable place?
Opportunities like this Equity Challenge are only a small piece of a great movement for change. But it’s imperative to expand and deepen understanding of these issues in order to drive meaningful action.
Learn more about United Way’s Equity Work.
Articles
Interrupting and Dismantling Racism – (60 Minute Read)
Read this toolkit to gather perspectives and conversation points to have effective dialogue surrounding race both in and outside of the workplace.
6 Steps Leaders can take to Become Anti-Racist – (7 Minute Read)
Read this article to learn steps to make lasting change as a leader, especially if you are a white executive by embracing the role of being actively anti-racist.
Videos
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.
I’m Tired of Talking About Race
Description from YouTube: Dennis Pocekay discusses the effects of racism in healthcare Dennis Pocekay is a retired Kaiser Permanente Physician (Internal Medicine/Occupational Medicine), currently advising HOSA students at Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, teaching undergrad Intro to Public Health at UC Davis, and precepting medical students at the Paul Horn Free Asian Clinic in Sacramento. He has long been interested in the social determinants of health.
Just Belonging: Finding the Courage to Interrupt Bias (10:52)
Description from YouTube: Jasmine Roberts speaks about the emotional fatigue experienced by people of color when discussing race with their white counterparts, coupled with solutions to this growing concern. Jasmine Roberts is an educator, writer, and strategic communication professional. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan and her master’s degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
50 Years of Racism (14:40)
Description from YouTube: Bringing reflections and the reality of race relations in USA, Jim White Sr. provides a lens that goes back 53 years from his first experience with discrimination, coupling it with how he’s struggling to provide counsel to his grandsons facing the same bias. This talk was the first time he’s shared this provocative and heartbreaking story in public after his decision to be silent no more.
Color Blind or Color Brave (14:03)
Description from TEDx: The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it’s a “conversation third rail.” But, she says, that’s exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race – and particularly about diversity in hiring – – makes for better businesses and a better society.
How to Resolve Racially Stressful Situations (17:17)
Description from TEDx: If we hope to heal the racial tensions that threaten to tear the fabric of society apart, we’re going to need the skills to openly express ourselves in racially stressful situations. Through racial literacy – – the ability to read, recast and resolve these situations – – psychologist Howard C. Stevenson helps children and parents reduce and manage stress and trauma. In this inspiring, quietly awesome talk, learn more about how this approach to decoding racial threat can help youth build confidence and stand up for themselves in productive ways.
Additional Resources
Social Experiment on Race and Privilege
Managing Zoom Meeting According to Journalists
Antiracism Resource Collections
- Antiracist Resources
- Anti-Racism Resources & Tools (Opportunity Network)
- A Detailed List of Anti-Racism Resources (Medium)
- Antiracism Resources for All Ages
Articles & Publications
- Asian American Social Justice Toolkit
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
- U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism
Books
- How to Be an Antiracist, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
- Black and Asian-American Feminist Solidarities: A Reading List
- Dare To Lead, Dr. Brene
- Diversify Your Bookshelf
Podcasts
- Unlocking Us, Brene Brown
- Rasmaa Menakem (who wrote “My Grandmother’s Hands”) – on Trauma and White Uncomfortability
- The Limits of Empathy
- What Comes Next
- You Need Everyone
Videos
- The Urgency of Intersectionality
- Jamila Lyiscott – 3 Ways to Speak English
- We need to talk about an injustice | Bryan Stevenson
- The roles of gaslighting and narcissism in racism
Websites
- Forbes: Microagressions at work
- NPR: Microaggressions Are A Big Deal
- The Management Center. “So You’ve Declared That Black Lives Matter. Now What?”
- Meg Bolger, Social Justice Facilitat
- School of Unity and Liberation
AAPI Resources
- Allyship Actions for Asians:
- 20+ Allyship Actions for Asians to Show Up for the Black Community Right Now
- Vox:
- Asian Americans Need to talk about anti-Blackness in our communities
- Positively Filipino
- Why we must have uncomfortable conversations
- AAPI Collective for Black Solidarity
- A Discussion Guide for talking to your AAPI People
- Reformed Margins
Podcast
Ask Code Switch: What About Your Friends (50 Minutes)
Yes, we recognize that this is very far over 10-15 minutes! If you’re interested in the topic, we’d recommend breaking it up to spread out over the week or listening to it over the weekend outside of the challenge!
Description via NPR: We help our listeners understand how race and its evil play cousin, racism, affect our friendships. And we’re doing it with help from WNYC’s Death, Sex & Money podcast. Be a good friend and listen.