Anti-Racism Challenge

Challenge Learning:

Anti-racism is the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach and set up in opposition to individual, institutional and systemic racist behaviors and impacts.

Today’s challenge is about being an anti-racist. Being anti-racist is fighting against racism. Racism takes several forms and works most often in tandem with at least one other form to reinforce racist ideas, behavior, and policy. Please review the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s page on Being Anti-Racist. In order to create an equal society, we must commit to making unbiased choices and being anti-racist in all aspects of our lives. These concepts and videos help to understand the work of anti-racism.

Daily Activity:

• Being AntiRacist

Challenge Learning:

Racism surrounds us. It exists in our lives and our communities as a complex social infrastructure, touching nearly every aspect of every day. We can summarize its influence in four dimensions: Internalized, Interpersonal, Organizational, and Systemic.

We'll start by understanding the two most personal dimensions:

Internalized racism - describes our personal beliefs about race and racism. We all live with biases we may not realize day to day. Internalized racism is the foundation for all other forms, and can be expressed in numerous ways, both consciously and unconsciously.

Interpersonal racism - is what you probably already know racism to be. It occurs when our beliefs impact the way we interact with others, whether they represent another race or our own.

Daily Activity:

1. Briefly write down your first thoughts about how internalized and interpersonal racism exists in your life, including how you might express it.

2. Then, take this Implicit Bias Test.

How do your first thoughts compare to your results? Why do you think that is?

Challenge Learning:

We’ve now learned more about Internalized and Interpersonal racism. We have tested our implicit bias with regard to race. It's important to understand that intentionality is not required to contribute to either of these dimensions. Our biases can unconsciously influence the way we react in various social situations, leading us to statements or actions that reinforce stereotypes of marginalized populations. We may not realize our biases coming to the forefront unless we take the time to recognize them.

These subtle instances of discrimination are called microaggressions. Check out this video to hear more about what they sound like, and how they can cause harm.

Daily Activity:

Check out this infographic of the Reparative Response Model. If your comment was recent, enact it! Otherwise, think through how you will follow this model should a peer ever come to you with a concern about something you've said.

Resources:

• https://yourislandnews.com/45559-2/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RfwnibEd3A&ab_channel=SheKnows

Did You Know?

Have you ever experienced or expressed a microaggression in the workplace? Your People and Culture team is here to support you. Harassment of any kind is not acceptable in our workplace, and you are invited to report this incident through Ethics Point

• When you get to the Ethics Point page, fill in your location with “YMCA of Central Ohio.”

• Follow the prompts to submit your report

Challenge Learning:

So far, we've taken a look within ourselves to understand how racism influences us and our relationships.

We’re now going to turn that attention outward and inspect the dimensions of racism that shape our community: Organizational and Systemic.

Organizational racism - occurs within specific institutions through discrimination, inequitable policies and practices, or unspoken expectations. This can even exist unintentionally. For example, turning away applicants due to criminal history is an expression of organizational racism, as it compounds an existing inequality.

Systemic racism - represents the interconnection of institutions across our communities and their cumulative influence over a vast array of factors that define our daily lives, like history, culture, and policy. Privilege and oppression are most severe in this dimension, because status in this system acutely affects an individual's ability to succeed.

Let's take a deeper look! Check out this video about the practice of redlining to see how systems have created inequitable communities.

Daily Activity:

Now that you know more about how racism appears in a community, take some time to see it in your community. Draw a Venn Diagram comparing one of these two choices:

1. Where You Grew Up vs. Where You Live Now

2. Where You Live vs. Where One of Your Program Participants Lives

How many differences do you see? Why do you think that is?

Challenge Learning:

We’ve now taken a deeper look at organizational and structural racism. A direct reflection of these types of racism are the health disparities black and brown communities face compared to white communities. Data shows racial and ethnic minority groups throughout the United States experience a higher rate of illness and death.

We’ve seen this specifically in action over the past two years as the Covid-19 Pandemic took a much greater toll on black and brown communities. According to Columbus Public Health, “COVID-19 is killing Black people at 2.4 times the rate of white people and Black people are disproportionately suffering in-part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systematic racism and other socioeconomic inequities.” In 2020, the health department declared racism a public health crisis. Read more about health disparities in our own community here.

Daily Activity:

Take some time to journal about your YMCA location. Are there any racial barriers regarding health and wellness that you recognize? Write down some ideas to change this. How can we work together to remove barriers and truly create a place where ALL people can live a healthier life.

Feel free to compare and contrast your findings with other coworkers across the association.

Challenge Learning:

What is Allyship? This Harvard Business Review article defines it as a strategic mechanism used by individuals to become collaborators, accomplices, and co-conspirators who fight injustice and promote equity in the workplace through supportive personal relationships and public acts of sponsorship and advocacy. Take time to read the article and think about ways you can be an ally to others within the YMCA.

We can be an ally in our personal and our work lives. Part of allyship is committing to continuous learning and listening. How can you listen to others to make sure you have a better understanding of their point of view? What steps can you take to make sure others feel supported and welcome?

Daily Activity:

Check out this infographic from YWCA: YWCA - 10 things you can do to be an ally There are simple things we can do every day to be an ally and show support as a part of our Anti-Racism journey. Think about any ways you have been an ally to others. If you haven’t, what are some ways you can take part and be an ally?

Challenge Learning:

Anthropologists have argued that the relationship between race, language and racism plays such a key role in reflecting and defining the way human societies are structured. In fact, language is one of the most important cultural means that people have for shaping their identity. Daily, we negotiate not only how we identify ourselves, but also how we desire to be discussed and categorized.

“BIPOC” stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Pronounced “bye-pock,” this is a term specific to the United States, intended to center the experiences of Black and Indigenous groups and demonstrate solidarity between communities of color.

Language matters. As a community-facing organization, we should be aware of how words can shape the experiences of our members, staff and volunteers. Today’s challenge creates space for us to learn about the acronym BIPOC from two different perspectives. We invite you to reflect and draw your own conclusions.

Daily Activity - Two Different Perspectives:

“BIPOC is Jargon”

What does the acronym BIPOC mean? by Kendra Cherry

Challenge Learning:

By becoming a part of the Y, we committed to strengthening communities to effect lasting, meaningful change. Cultural Exploration is a pathway to honoring this commitment. Cultural exploration is learning about communities that are different from your own. It's being exposed to different languages, belief systems, music, food and other aspects that make up another group's culture.

Cultural Exploration can be accomplished by participating in activities that encourage communal growth, developing multicultural understandings of the world, and developing a sense of your own cultural identity. Learning about and embracing cultures other than your own is necessary. Cultural exploration also supports the communities from which we learn. When we view life through an equity lens, we can learn, embrace, and support those communities whose differences have been used against them as a detriment to their success.

Daily Activity:

Support Local Black-Owned Businesses

Black-Owned Local Businesses in Columbus

CENTRAL OHIO AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Support and learn about Local Black Organizations

Columbus Urban League

100 Black Women Columbus | Non-Profit Organization

NAACP Columbus, Ohio

Anti-racism resources for families

Resources on Diversity & Health Equity | Columbus OH
Talking to Children About Racism (Nationwide Children’s Hospital)

Join one of the YMCA of Central Ohio's 6 Employee Resource Groups. These groups are for all staff, whether you identify with the group or as an ally. Each group maintains their own calendar of events designed to connect and support their members!

• AARN (African American Resource Network): contact aarn@ymcacolumbus.org for more information and membership information.

• DIG - (Diversity, Inclusion and Global): contact dig-info@ymcacolumbus.org for more info and membership information.

• DDA-ERN (Disability/Diverse Ability - Employee Resource Network): contact dda-ern@ymcacolumbus.org for more information.

• LGBTQ+RN (Lesbian, Gay,Bi-Sexual, Trans, Queer+) please contact lgbtqrn@ymcacolumbus.org for more information.

• WLRN (Women's Leadership Resource Network) please contact: wlrn@ymcacolumbus.org for more information.

• LatinX ERG - please contact latnixerg@ymcacolumbus.org for more information.