HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - The YWCA of South Hampton Roads is partnering with the YWCA of Central Virginia and News 3 for the “Stand Against Racism" Challenge.
For the 21-day challenge, the YWCA wants to provide a space for people to work together towards eliminating racism.
But, they also want to use it as a call to action.
For the challenge, the YWCA wants to offer ways for people to learn more about the impact of systemic and institutional racism and how we can be better allies for each other.
They’re focusing their efforts on rooting out injustices and creating a world where equality exists for everyone through online conversations, listening to podcasts, reading articles and much more.
This year’s theme merges five focus areas to guide and inform the work. Those areas include civic engagement, health care, education and more.
We spoke to the CEO of the YWCA of South Hampton Roads, who told us she says these injustices show up in our daily lives, but we can all make a choice to rise above what has been ingrained and institutionalized.
“We're living in a society now where courtesy, dignity and respect seem to have dwindled. We're seeing increases in violence, and particularly in the work that we do of domestic violence. And so, our society is broken; our society is struggling right now. And our society is in need of what I like to call 'healing' at this time,” said Michelle Ellis Young, the CEO of the YWCA for South Hampton Roads.
“And so, the time is truly now for us to come together as a community to stamp out racism. And Hampton Roads is a giving community. It's a loving community. But we also have to reckon with ourselves that we have some issues we have to deal with here as well. And so, a program like this helps us to be able to do that consistently.”
The challenge runs from April 4 through May 1, and there are many opportunities in which you can join and take part, including daily challenges.
Best of all, it’s a free program.
For more information and how you can sign up to participate, you can take a look here.
