}

A JK THROUGH 12 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL IN CHARLOTTE, NC

1941

21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge

Thank you for your willingness to participate in a 21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge to help develop a deeper understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. 

How It Works

The Challenge is designed to intentionally create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. The 21-day syllabus was created for our school community. It's simple:

  • For 21 days, choose at least ONE (or more) suggested action items per day, reflect on the experience, and answer questions.
  • Complete 21 short assignments (which take an average of about 15–30 minutes), over 21 days, that include suggested readings, videos, podcasts, and more. 
  • Answer reflection questions and download the 21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge Reflection Chart (or you can use your own journaling method) to track your progress and record learnings, thoughts, questions, and experiences. The Challenge consists of five categories and a reflection for each: read, watch, listen, notice, act.
  • The Challenge is completely voluntary and participation is not considered as agreement with every word of every assignment, nor a commitment to a particular position or strategy (while it is not the intent of the Challenge to cause offense, some may be offended by language used in a few of the lessons). 
  • If you have questions or would like to process any of the materials, please feel free to contact Brian Wise, Director of Diversity Planning, or any other members of the 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge team listed below.
  • You are free to opt-out anytime along they way (you won’t be graded at the end!). 

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it.”

Harper Lee for Atticus Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird

What is Racial Equity?

In simple terms, racial equity means racial fairness (which is different from racial equality). It’s about ensuring everyone gets what they need in order to thrive and improve their quality of life. Racial equity is both an outcome and a process. As a process, we apply racial equity (fairness) to policies, systems, structures, and institutions to remove barriers that produce unfair advantage and/or disadvantage for groups solely based on race. As an outcome, we achieve racial equity when race no longer determines or predicts one’s socioeconomic status and life outcomes/circumstances.

RacialEquityinfographic

Graphic credit: Agnus Maguire, Interaction Institute for Social Change

Why Participate in the Challenge?

The 21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge is one of the most meaningful ways to get involved and contribute to building community and creating a truly inclusive school culture. Our goal is to create a Country Day in which every child (and family) feels safe, known, valued, and affirmed. The journey begins with us being committed to learning and challenging ourselves to:

  • Become aware of our own identity and the impact of that on interactions with others. 
  • Be open to others’ perspectives.
  • Participate in meaningful conversations about racism and social justice.
  • Actively learn about the various identities of Country Day students and families.
  • Support and create an environment that affirm those identities.
  • Build new, positive habits that can change ourselves, our students, and our community.
  • Take small actions alongside one another, navigate shared experiences, and ensure a more inclusive school community.

Topics Covered

  • Week 1: History Of Race and Inequality in America
  • Week 2: Racial Literacy and Equity
  • Week 3: ANTI-BIAS, ANti-Racism, and Social Justice
  • Week 4: Allies and Partners

Let's Get Started!