Posts by unitedwaybck

Congratulations on completing the United Way Racial Equity Challenge. We are thankful that you have come along with us on this journey and made time to learn and reflect on topics of racial equity. We know these conversations and the feelings they evoke are not always easy but making space for brave dialogue is one…

Today’s challenge is to take time to reflect on your experience over the past 20 days. Research shows that a critical component to learning is taking time to reflect or being intentional about processing the lessons being taught by your experiences.  Today’s Challenge – Reflection Questions What are my identities and in what ways have…

“To be antiracist is a radical choice in the face of history, requiring a radical reorientation of our consciousness.” Ibram X. Kendi There are various reasons to participate in this challenge, and one may be to transform your culture from a culture rooted in white-dominant norms and standards to a culture around equity. You may…

What does it mean to be an ally? An ally seeks to understand what it feels like for another person or group to be oppressed, and despite knowing you will never fully understand how it feels, is committed to valuing and supporting people who are marginalized. Remember, being an ally is not an identity, it…

“Systems that are failing people of color, are actually failing all of us.” Today we’ll explore how to build a culture around equity. While the main focus throughout this 21-Day Challenge is on racial equity, it is important to acknowledge that people from various marginalized identities and experiences are negatively impacted by inequitable processes and…

Recent events including the killings of unarmed Black people by law enforcement and the disproportionate rates of COVID-19 cases in Black and Hispanic communities once again shed light on the deeply embedded systemic racism in this country and its institutions. It is important to recognize that people of color often experience significant trauma as a result…

Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, have a tremendous impact on lifelong health and opportunity. ACEs are defined as a toxic source of stress with the potential to disrupt a child’s ability to learn, relate, grow, play, communicate, and problem-solve. ACEs can include things like physical and emotional abuse, neglect, caregiver mental illness, and household violence.…

More than 65 years after the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, studies show that public schools across the United States are just as racially segregated as they were in the Jim Crow era. According to a new report by EdBuild, U.S. school districts…

“To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.” Bell Hooks  Anti-racist education in early childhood classrooms is far more than a multicultural lesson or two. It requires educators to deeply…