The 21-Day Equity Challenge: A Deeper Understanding of Racism

The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati created the 21-Day Equity Challenge as a fun and informative way to help people develop a deeper understanding of how inequity and racism affect their lives and community. The challenge will send participants a daily email from October 5 to October 25 with links to recommended articles, videos, podcasts and more ways to learn.

“I believe the idea of the 21-Day Equity Challenge was picked up during a discussion with other Ys and from exposure to the work of Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. who devised the concept for the challenge,” said Samantha Mosby, the community director of the Campbell County YMCA, a branch of the Cincinnati Y. “Our group modified it — as it was originally a 20-minute a day challenge.”

Some topics and resources that will be covered will primarily involve racial inequalities such as health disparities, suburban redlining and access to higher education.

Daily challenges include volunteering at, engaging with, or donating to an organization that is invested in diversity and equity; having lunch with someone “who is different” from you whom you wouldn’t typically have lunch with; and researching what organizations in your community are working to combat health disparities.

Mosby hopes participants will gain more understanding of how far society has come, but how far we still need to go. “I hope our participants learn everyone has unconscious biases, but in order to change those, we must acknowledge them,” she said.

The Cincinnati Y has partnered with Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Community Action Agency, Easterseals, United Way, Talbert House, HOME, Cincinnati Works and Gen-H to make this challenge possible.

According to Mosby, the response to the 21-Day Equity Challenge has been great. “People are really connecting with each other and embracing the chance to learn,” she explained. “Some people are asking why it is only 21 days.”

You can learn more about the challenge here.