We are inviting all students, faculty, staff and alumni to join the Chancellor’s 21-Day Anti-Racism Challenge from August 7 to September 4. The goal of this inaugural challenge is to assist us in furthering our awareness, compassion, understanding, and engagement around anti-racism, with a focus on the Black American experience.
Why anti-racism? Anti-racism is the practice of identifying, challenging and changing the values, structures and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism. It is an active way of seeing and being in the world, in order to transform it. This unique program invites students, faculty, staff and alumni to become literate in discussing race, equity, diversity, and inclusion and challenges us all to take action.
Why a focus on Black Americans? There are many forms of oppression, including xenophobia, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, as well as other forms of racial discrimination. We are starting with anti-Black racism because, for most people, it is the most difficult to explore and discuss. By starting with anti-Black racism, we deepen our capacity to understand how oppression and systemic biases broadly impact other communities such as LatinX, Native American, and LGBT communities, among others.
Why 21 days? Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. created the 21-day-challenge concept to promote deeper understanding of race, power, privilege, supremacy and oppression. Some studies show that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. This initiative aims to support our community in building effective social justice habits to help bring about meaningful change.
Join us in taking one action every weekday for 21 days to further our awareness, compassion and understanding of the challenges our Black community members endure due to anti-Blackness, and join us in committing to dismantle it. Curated by our colleagues in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the anti-racism curriculum uses a social justice framework to guide learning around power, position, privilege, perception and process throughout the course of the challenge.
At the start of each week, participants will receive an overview and links to resources to read, watch or hear. At the end of each week, participants are invited to join a facilitated panel webinar on Zoom to discuss the week’s activities, ask questions, and explore what we can do as a community to advance UC San Diego's commitment to inclusive excellence.
This challenge was created to further our institution’s Strategic Plan. One of our strategic goals is to cultivate a diverse and inclusive university community that encourages respectful open dialogue, and challenges itself to take bold actions.
I am approving four hours of administrative leave with pay per week for employees to participate in the course and attend the four webinars. I encourage supervisors to be as flexible as core operational needs permit in granting employees the four hours.
I look forward to learning with you.
