2023 Unite Against Racism
Save the dates!
Tuesday, April 25: 10:30am | Skokie Unite Against Racism – Outside Village Hall in Skokie, 5127 Oakton St. A community discussion will take place immediately following the demonstration from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at Village Hall.
Wednesday, April 26: 10:00am | Wilmette Unite Against Racism – at the Village Green in Wilmette, 1200 Wilmette Avenue. A community discussion will take place immediately following the demonstration from 10:30 am to 11:30 am at Skunkworks Dance, 1111 Central Ave.
Thursday, April 27: 10:30am | Evanston Unite Against Racism – along Ridge Ave. in Evanston, starting at YWCA Evanston/North Shore, 1215 Church Street.
YWCA is on a mission to Unite Against Racism
We Unite Against Racism every day by raising awareness about the impact of institutional and structural racism and by building community among those who work for racial justice. The annual YWCA Unite Against Racism (formerly Stand Against Racism), which occurs the last week of April, provides the opportunity for communities across the United States to unite their voices to educate, advocate, and promote racial justice.
This is a name-shift away from our previous Stand Against Racism campaign – a deliberate shift to be inclusive in our language. We acknowledge that for many, the word “stand” in its name evoked feelings of ableism, exclusivity, and disempowerment. As an organization dedicated to advancing justice for all, it’s our responsibility to ensure that all are included in the movement and inspired to promote justice in partnership with us.
We know that structural racism plays a large role in determining the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age. These factors affect people’s access to quality housing, education, food, transportation, political power, and other social determinants of health. Understanding and addressing systemic racism in each of these structures of our society is crucial to eliminating racial and ethnic inequities, and to improving opportunity and well-being across communities.
Our collective efforts can root out injustice, transform institutions, and create a world that sees women, girls, and people of color the way we do: Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable.
There are many ways that organizations and individuals can stand against racism. How are YOU working to transform our institutions and systems? We’d like to hear from you, so we can work to support each other’s efforts to root out injustice.
Take the 21 Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge
As part of our ongoing work to eliminate racism, we invite you to embark on the 21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge. The Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to learn about racial equity and build more effective social justice habits. Do it on your own, or do it as a group within your organization. Each day, you can choose from activities such as reading an article or blogpost, listening to a podcast or watching a short video, reflecting on personal experience, and getting to know people and organizations who do anti-racism work.
Show your support!
Unite Against Racism signs will be available for pick-up at YWCA Evanston/North Shore, Crowded Closet in Evanston, and Shop for Good in Wilmette starting the week of March 27th, until supplies last.
You can also download and print your own 8.5×11 or 11×17 signs to display in your window(s).
We want to hear from you! Record and send us a video of yourself telling what you do to take a stand against racism in your community. These videos will be used to share actionable steps toward racial equity.
Check out the videos below to see how the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy and Rep. Robyn Gabel stand against racism!
Post a selfie on Facebook with the hashtags #UniteAgainstRacism #YWCAens and tag YWCA Evanston/North Shore — or send your photo to equityinstitute@ywca-ens.org.
About Unite Against Racism
Until Justice Just Is and Unite Against Racism (formerly Stand Against Racism) is a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities.
Founded by YWCA Trenton and YWCA Princeton in 2007, Until Justice Just Is quickly grew to a national presence by 2010, when an additional 80 YWCAs across the nation, including YWCA Evanston/North Shore, organized demonstrations for racial justice. Over 2,000 organizations across 39 states joined YWCAs in the Stand Against Racism. This phenomenal success has attracted well over 250,000 participants and earned the endorsement of five U.S. Governors. The event has been widely featured by local ABC, NBC, CBS, and other networks.
Eileen Hogan Heineman, Mgr., Equity Inst. Community Outreach
Who participates in Advancing Justice? People like you.
