This year, our racial justice campaign centers around the theme Building Bridges to Equity, and it will be based on the 2024 YWCA Racial Justice Challenge, which will be Bodily Autonomy, Women’s Financial Empowerment/Caregiving, Gun Violence, and Transportation.
About the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge
YWCA Delaware is excited to announce the launch of 2024 YWCA Racial Justice Challenge, to begin on April 1, 2024. The YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is the action component of the Until Justice Just Is campaign, which runs throughout the month of April to raise awareness of systemic racism and how each of us can take action to advance justice.
Previously known as the Stand Against Racism Challenge or 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge, the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge was developed by YWCA Greater Cleveland in 2019. YWCA USA is excited to be partnering again with YWCAs across the country to offer this unique virtual learning community to participants across the country.
YWCA Delaware has a long and proud history of advancing justice within and outside the organization, from modeling a more diverse leadership representation to striving for fair housing where all people can live harmoniously in the same neighborhoods. We are proud to continue to build on our momentum for advancing justice, and the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is a critical component in realizing this vision.
The YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. The Challenge works to foster personal reflection, encourage social responsibility, and motivate participants to identify and act on ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.
For four weeks, daily challenge activities (reading an article, listening to a podcast, reflecting on personal experience, etc.) are posted in the Challenge app and website, allowing participants to connect with one another, discover how racial and social injustice impact our communities, and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination. Each week covers a different topic related to equity and social justice. Daily activities are not posted on the weekends.
2024 Challenge Topics &
Upcoming Discussions
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Bodily Autonomy
Learn more about some of the many ways marginalized bodies are restricted, policed, and violated.
Let's Talk Reproductive JusticeMonday, April 8th, 6:30 - 8 PM
Join us for an engaging conversation on the meaning and significance of Reproductive Justice. Learn about its origins, its relevance today, and why it's more crucial than ever with guest speakers:• Brittany Williams, Founder and CEO of the Black Girl Health Collective
• Mara Gorman, Public Affairs Manager at Planned Parenthood of Delaware
Our discussion will explore a wide array of issues, from the importance of doula services to the complexities of IVF. By unpacking these topics, we aim to foster understanding and advocacy for inclusive reproductive rights that honor the diverse experiences and needs of all individuals, regardless of race, class, gender identity, or background.
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Financial Empowerment
Learn more about how women are taking control of their finances and making important decisions about budgeting, saving, and investing despite inequities that persist and interfere with them reaching their full economic potential.
Let’s Talk Financial EmpowermentMonday, April 15th, 6:30 - 8 PM
We’re exploring the history of the women’s financial movement, persistent barriers, entrepreneurship, and more with guest speaker Ayanna Khan, Founder, President and CEO of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce.
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Gun Violence
Learn more about the history of gun ownership in America and how it has impacted the lives of marginalized people.
Let’s Talk Gun Violence
Monday, April 22nd, 6:30 - 8 PM
From school corridors to music festivals, nightclubs to households, and communities nationwide, women disproportionately endure alarming levels of gun violence, exposing them to heightened risks of harm and fatality. During our session, we will delve into the historical context of firearms in our nation, ongoing prevention efforts in Delaware, and the specific manifestations of this violence within our state.
Your participation and insights are crucial as we strive to address this pressing issue and work towards creating safer environments for all. Mark your calendars and join us for this vital conversation with guest speakers:
• Mariann Kenville-Moore, Director of Advocacy & Policy at the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Traci Manza Murphy, Executive Director at Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence
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Transportation
Learn more about how access to transportation impacts every aspect of our lives, from our ability to get to work, access healthcare, and educate our children.
Let’s Talk Transportation
Monday, April 29th, 6:30 to 8 PM
During our last week of the Racial Justice Challenge we’re discussing how access to transportation profoundly impacts various aspects of our lives, including our ability to reach work, obtain healthcare, and ensure our children receive education with guest speakers:
• La Vaida Owens-White, Board President of Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families
• Marissa McClenton, Environmental Justice Associate Organizer at the Sierra Club, Delaware Chapter
• Sean T. O'Neill, Policy Scientist at the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at the University of Delaware and President of the Delaware Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA).
2024 Until Justice Just Is playlist on Spotify
YWCA Racial Justice Challenge Participant
“This challenge each year helps broaden my knowledge and interest in efforts in my community.”
Become a
Racial Justice
Challenge Partner!
For additional information, including non-profit pricing and partnerships please contact Becca Cotto, Director of Racial and Social Justice at rcotto@ywcade.org.
Going Nationwide
Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Challenge! Since we launched in 2019, YWCA has had over 30,000 participants across the country take the challenge and reached 5,747 unique ZIP codes.
Let’s Talk
Panel Series
Honoring the work
Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., Debby Irving, and Dr. Marguerite Penick for their leadership in the field of racial equity as exhibited in their 21 Day Racial Equity and Habit Building Challenge and the movement they helped to initiate. YWCA’s content is independently designed, written, and curated by YWCA Greater Cleveland staff as part of racial equity and social justice programs offered to the community.
Thank you to our partners.
May 4, 2023 - Declared Until Justice Just Is Day
YWCA Delaware thanks Delaware state elected officials for recognizing our work in supporting the Delaware community in our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women and for presenting us with a proclamation declaring May 4, 2023, as “Until Justice Just Is Day” in the State of Delaware. Senate Resolution No. 13 recognizes that racism is a public health crisis that requires investment in resources, including public safety and social support services, safe and affordable housing, access to quality education, and environments free of contamination.
