REDFORD, Mich. – United Way is working toward building a better tomorrow and we can all be involved.
The 21-day challenge aims to raise awareness about diversity, equity and inclusion. They can be difficult conversations, but educating yourself on the topics is crucial for a better world. That’s why the United Way of Southeastern Michigan is giving and opportunity to do that for free.
“The time commitment is only about 15 minutes a day,” said Tonya Adair. “If you sign up, you’ll receive an email every day that’s focused on a different topic. It may be on racial inequities, it may be on social identity.”
The event kicks off May 21 with an option to join in on Fridays for an online round table discussion. There’s more than 2,000 people signed up already, including the employees at Methodist Children’s Home Society in Redford.
Related: United Way of Washtenaw County launches three-week Equity Challenge
“We have a lot of different staff, a lot of different backgrounds, so I’m hoping this helps us relate to our differences and also communicate better,” said Quinn Lawrence.
Located on Six Mile Drive, Methodist Children’s Home Society focuses on foster care children who have been neglected, which is why Carolyn Watson thinks the challenge will be beneficial for their staff.
“And so then when you think about how we properly support us through trauma to actually build successful lives, there’s no way we can properly assess it or acknowledge it if we’re not taking into consideration the trauma that comes from racism and race and equity,” Watson said.
“People spend hours on social media,” said Stephanie Trotter. “You can take 15 minutes to educate yourself about racial inequities and inclusion.”
More information on the 21-day Equity Challenge can be found on the United Way of Southeastern Michigan’s official website here.