United Way of Central Iowa is excited to offer our community a new, localized 21-Day Equity Challenge, beginning on October 5, 2020 at www.EquityChallenge.org.

All central Iowans are invited to register to join the free 21-Day Equity Challenge, a program launched by United Way of Central Iowa and several partner organizations to help our community develop a deeper understanding of how inequity and racism affect our lives and community.

After registering online at www.EquityChallenge.org, participants will receive an email each weekday, from October 5 through November 2 with readings, videos, podcasts, and ways to take action. Each day will feature a different topic, and participants are challenged to partake in at least one of the four or five pieces of content they receive.

Topics being covered include Understanding Privilege, Housing & Redlining, Justice System Inequities, Allyship, and many more. The content for each topic has been curated by an advisory committee of local experts and leaders on racism and equity issues in our community. Discussion guides will be available for groups or individuals to help facilitate conversations with others in our community. Participation is free to anyone and registrants will be invited to central Iowa’s virtual Inclusion Summit: Rising to the Equity Challenge on November 10.

Though the numbers are growing rapidly, the 21-Day Equity Challenge currently has more than 8,000 registrants and nearly 400 supporting organizations, and is sponsored by Athene USA, Bankers Trust, Business Publications Corporation, Capital Crossroads, City of Des Moines, Des Moines Area Community College, Ernst & Young, F&G, FamilyWize, John Deere, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, Nationwide, Principal, United Way of Central Iowa, and Wells Fargo.

We have been so pleased with the amount of enthusiasm we are hearing for the 21-Day Equity Challenge. There is a real hunger for better understanding and shared learning on these topics in central Iowa, and we hope the 21-Day Equity Challenge can be an important part of it.

Topics: Equity Challenge

Elisabeth Buck

Written by Elisabeth Buck

Elisabeth Buck is the former President of United Way of Central Iowa.