HONOLULU — YWCA, a nationwide nonprofit since 1858, will be launching its 21-Day Racial Equity &Social Justice Challenge on March 1 as part of a national movement to engage communities.
The Kaua‘i YWCA is participating.
“We look forward to joining with our sister YWCAs across the state in this event, which is another step toward our mutual goal of eliminating racism,” YWCA Kaua‘i Executive Director Renae Hamilton-Cambeilh said.
“The 21-day challenge is an excellent tool to further educate ourselves, raise community awareness and delve deeper into the multiple ways racism continues to impact our island ‘ohana,” she said.
Hamilton-Cambeilh said her team is incorporating material related to racial-justice issues that impact this specific community.
Participants will receive a daily email directing them to three to four curated activities, such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, watching a video or reflecting on their own personal experiences.
Each activity is designed to foster greater understanding and awareness, challenging participants to confront their own understandings and act to advance racial equity.
Taking part in a free activity like this helps participants discover how racial inequity and social injustice impact communities, she said. It can also help them connect with others and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.
The challenge continues weekdays through March 29. All content is newly curated by YWCA for this year, to include fresh, up-to-date resources for participants.
Over 30,000 people from 1,800 ZIP codes across the country took the challenge in 2020. It has proven to be a powerful tool for companies, municipalities, nonprofits and religious institutions to begin to implement real, equitable change, she said.
The YWCA’s challenge was inspired by Food Solutions New England, the first to adapt an exercise from Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. and Debby Irving’s work into the interactive, 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social-justice habits and bring awareness to issues of race, power, privilege and leadership.
Registration is open now and required to participate in the challenge. Kaua‘i residents can register at bit.ly/2Zc1ImX.
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Stephanie Shinno, education, business, and community reporter can be reached at 245-0424 or sshinno@thegardenisland.com.
