Thank you for your interest in this special edition of Equity. United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC), has a vision that by 2030 your zip code will no longer determine your opportunity in life. At present in Washtenaw County, it does.
In response to newly available data on the wellbeing of households in our State who are Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, and Employed (ALICE), United Ways across Michigan are launching a special State Edition of the 21 Day Equity Challenge.
This version of the Equity Challenge is designed to take participants through a state-level exploration of the history and impacts of racism and how it has shaped the lives of people in Michigan. Along the way, participants will be equipped with resources and tools to take action for racial equity in their work and lives. Join us!
The COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed to us the inequities that are deeply rooted in our systems and institutions-- a look at local health department data illustrates this reality.
The self-guided learning journey examines the history and impacts of racism and how it shapes people’s lived experience in Washtenaw County.
Please note: Your participation in this challenge is 100% private and anonymous.
Our goal? You take the time to reflect and learn how racial inequities permeate our community on individual, institutional and systemic levels, and how we’re seeing these inequities unfold during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all impacted by the system of racism in our country and therefore all responsible for dismantling the structures that allow it to persist. The final day of the Challenge will offer tools and resources for taking action locally in Washtenaw County.
We need you. We believe united action is powerful and it benefits us all to have greater collective capacity and courage to identify and address the different ways that bias, prejudice, privilege, and oppression show up in our work and lives. The Challenge will feature content that speaks to diverse identities and expressions and it has been prepared knowing that our audience is not homogenous. This is not a Challenge just for white people. It has something for all people.
This Challenge was originally developed by Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., Dr. Marguerite Penick-Parks and Debby Irving and has been adapted by Food Solutions New England. United Way of Washtenaw County has committed to adapt the challenge with our community along with our Support Partners (listed below).
Click here to read a welcome letter from Pam Smith, UWWC CEO and Linda Koos, UWWC Board Chair.
- Access the Five Day Challenge catalogue here.
- Don't want to stop after the 5th day? You don't have to! Click here to access the catalogue of all 21 days of our original 21 Day Equity Challenge.
- Sign-up for Advocacy Alerts here.