Since 1976, every president has designated February as Black History Month. During this time, we acknowledge and celebrate the contributions that African Americans have made to American history, their struggles for freedom and equality and seek to deepen our understanding of our Nation’s history.
Please join NYSBA’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion as we take action with the 28-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The challenge will take place all throughout February in honor of Black History Month. We encourage participants to take one action every day to delve into the African American experience in America and to further their understanding of power, privilege, supremacy, oppression, and equity.
To participate in the challenge:
- Take the pledge to commit to the 28-Day Challenge.
- Keep track and complete all 28 challenges that can be found using the tabs on the left of your screen. They include readings, podcasts, videos, observations, and ways to form and deepen community connections.
- After completing the challenge, please submit your information using the form provided under the last tab and we will send you a Certificate of Completion.
Whether you are participating in the challenge or not, feel free to register for the following complimentary program:
Please visit the Committee on Diversity & Inclusion website to read more about its mission along with learning about upcoming programs during Black History Month.
For any additional questions please contact Ernesto Guerrero at [email protected]
Day 1
Invite friend(s), family, and/or colleagues to do the 28-Day Challenge with you.
Day 2
Take the Project Implicit, Implicit Association Test (IAT). This exercise requires navigating the sign up for the tests, which includes answering a series of questions for the researchers, but it is recommended that everyone does at least these tests: Race, Skin Tone, and Weapons-Race.
Day 3
Work on your Talking About Race Toolkit. This exercise will re-frame the conversation on race and move us toward policy solutions that work for everyone
Day 4
Register for: Let’s Talk About Race: The Origins Of Systemic Racism In The United States And Tips For Dismantling Those Systems By Being Actively Anti-Racist, NYSBA’s complimentary CLE program taking place on February 26th. We know that talking about race is hard and that is why we have put together this CLE that tackles the subject in a respectful and insightful manner.
Day 5
Take time to reflect on what you chose to do, what you are learning, and how you are feeling. Difficult emotions such as shame and anger, though uncomfortable to feel, can guide you to deeper self-awareness about how power and privilege impacts you and the people in your life.
Day 6
Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast amplifying the voices of environmentalists from historically underrepresented communities including Disabled, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and accomplices (episodes 1 hour)
Day 7
Do the Work Podcast hosted by Brandon Kyle Goodman explores race and relationships. Each episode is an intimate conversation between two people who know each other well and have had or are still having a struggle to cross the racial barrier. We bring them together so they can finally have a real conversation about race, and we can all learn how to be anti-racist in our daily lives. Debby Irving has a small role in each episode (episodes 30 – 50 mins)
Day 8
Here & Now – Without Slavery, Would The U.S. Be The Leading Economic Power? Host Jeremy Hobson explores with Edward Baptist, author of The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism, how slavery established the United States as a world economic power (15 minutes)
Day 9
Scene on Radio – Emmett and Trayvon There is a long and painful history in the U.S. of white men killing black men and boys without punishment. In this episode, we listen in on “Dar He,” the one-man play by Mike Wiley that brings to life the story of Emmett Till. (19 minutes)
Day 10
Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast Chevon and Hiba discuss how they came to understand and become committed to racial justice work. Chevon talks about learning about systemic racism from an early age, and how it showed up in different ways throughout her life. Hiba talks about her Sudanese Muslim background, her work with the National Urban League, and her work coordinating convenings at Race Forward. (24 minutes)
Day 11
The Stoop: Black, Queer and Free Black homophobia is real- and we meet two influential people who are fighting it – each in their own inspiring way. Bishop Yvette Flunder, and author and activist Darnell Moore are Black, Queer and free. This episode is delving into the language we use, the things that need to be said, and the celebration of Black boy joy and intimacy. (30 minutes)
Day 12
The Stoop: Angry Black Woman What’s behind the angry Black woman stereotype, and how does it affect women in the corporate world, and psychologically? We Stooptalk with some black women who work in the corporate world and psychiatrist Dr. Loma Flowers who unpacks what this stereotype does mentally for Black women. (30 minutes)
Day 13
How Can We Win Author Kimberly Jones gives a powerful, spontaneous, eloquent speech explaining in detail why this is happening (racism across 450 years) and the difference between protesting, rioting and looting in 2020 (7 mins)
Day 14
The American Lows, Excerpt Jacqueline Battalora talks about how white supremacy permeates all aspects of American society (4 mins)
Day 15
Racism is Real, A split-screen video depicting the differential in the white and black lived experience (3 minutes)
Day 16
I Didn’t Tell You, Ever wonder what a day in the life of a person of color is like? Listen to this poem, written and spoken by Norma Johnson (7 minutes)
Day 17
CBS News Analysis: Students May Be Miseducated About Black History, Ibram X. Kendi reviews current history curriculum production and use across the U.S. (5 minutes)
Day 18
Why Black Trans Women are Essential to Both Pride and Black Lives Matter This video clip showcases the Black Trans movement to be valued and included in movements for social justice including the advocacy and advancement for both race and gender identity. (4 minutes)
Day 19
Watch 10 Ways to Promote Anti-Racism In The Workplace – FORBES (opens in new window) This video clip highlights 10 actions that can promote an anti-racist environment at work to help increase intentionality of addressing racism through anti-racist actions. (3 minutes)
Day 20
Verna Myers, How to Overcome Our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them, TED Talk Diversity advocate Verna Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable.
Day 21
TEDx Talks- Black Trans* Lives Matter What would my life and the world look like if Black Trans* Lives mattered? Race, gender, social class, and disability all intersect to shape Black Trans* lives. How would social institutions, such as education, law, healthcare, religion, and family be different? Dr. Dafina-Lazarus (D-L) Stewart (he and they) is professor in the School of Education and Co-Coordinator of Student Affairs in Higher Education and affiliated faculty in the Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research at Colorado State University.
Day 22
She co-founded Black Lives Matter. Here’s why she’s so hopeful for the future This article highlights Alicia Garza, one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement to share her thoughts, meaning, and purpose behind the phrase: Black Lives Matter.
Day 23
Read 11 Anti-Racist Actions You Can Take At Work – Today and Every Day (opens in new window) This article shares 11 different actions you can adopt to help you integrate small actions in everyday interactions at work that can lead to a more inclusive and validating workspace for all those impacted by racism.
Day 24
Read Checklist for Allies Against Racism (PDF) This checklist is a starting guide to actions and intentions you can use to think about your everyday actions and how they can be more intentionally inclusive to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Day 25
Read Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation (opens in new window) This article was written as an opinion piece submitted by the late John Lewis to the New York times talking about the fight for social justice and the redemption of the United States for people of color, especially black folks.
Day 26
Your Black Colleagues May Look Like They Are Okay – Chances Are They Are Not Author Danielle Cadet writes of the mental and emotion drain felt by Black people caused by the global pandemic and social injustices occurring in America.
Day 27
Your Unconscious Bias Trainings Keep Failing Because You Are Not Addressing Systemic Bias. The focus of unconscious bias training is typically on helping individuals understand and recognize their own unconscious and intrinsic biases and suggesting behaviors to mitigate the preconceptions we are prone to. What unconscious bias trainings do not account for are the systemic and structural issues (SSI) that allow biases to be perpetuated in the workplace.
Day 28
ABC News Go – More than 50% of homeless families are black, government report finds African Americans, despite making up just 13% of the U.S. population, account for a staggeringly disproportionate chunk of the nation’s homeless population, according to a government report.
CONGRATULATIONS! on completing the 28-Day Racial Equity Challenge. More importantly, THANK YOU for recognizing the importance of taking the challenge and making the time to do so. Please submit your information below so we can send you a Challenge Certificate.