In Pittsburgh, the stark realities of racial injustice are not abstract concepts but lived experiences shaping the fabric of our communities.
From the alarming disparities in Black maternal mortality rates to the specter of gun violence plaguing neighborhoods and the entrenched barriers hindering generational wealth among families of color, the urgency for change is palpable.
The YWCA Greater Pittsburgh is trying to answer that call by building “more effective social justice habits” within the community via its Racial Justice Challenge throughout the month of April.
This largely virtual event offers Pittsburghers a unique opportunity to confront systemic injustice, one engaging activity at a time. The goal is to create more space in participants’ daily lives to act on their values.
Activities include reading an article or listening to a podcast, and each activity follows a weekly theme. This year’s themes are:
- Bodily autonomy: Topics covered will include medical abuse historically perpetuated against people of color, the racist origins of fatphobia, reproductive rights, Black hair, and transgender health care. This theme will also touch on the current maternal mortality crisis facing Black women, a topic especially relevant here in Pittsburgh. (Pittsburgh’s Black maternal mortality rate is higher than Black mortality rates in 97% of similar cities)
- Women’s financial empowerment and caregiving: Topics include financial disparities in the historic women’s rights movement, unpaid labor such as caring for children and elders, entrepreneurship in communities of color, financial abuse and financial literacy.
- Gun violence: This theme includes the racist roots of the Second Amendment, suicide rates in communities of color, and how gun violence connects to intimate partner violence and white supremacy.
- Transportation: Learn about the history of racial discrimination in transportation, gender and sexuality in transportation advocacy, racial bias in traffic enforcement, and how to envision a world beyond cars.
“Our goal with this event is to provide a resource that is accessible to those just beginning their racial justice journey, while also providing curated content to interest those who have been doing this work for decades,” said Dr. Angela Reynolds, CEO of YWCA Greater Pittsburgh. “People of all backgrounds can learn something new.”
While many participate in the Racial Justice Challenge as individuals, organizations such as La Roche University see the event as an opportunity to spark community conversations. In the past, the university held weekly in-person discussion groups corresponding to each of the Racial Justice Challenge’s four themes.
“YWCA Greater Pittsburgh’s Racial Justice Challenge gave our campus community a strong foundation of knowledge and supplied us with common language to draw from when discussing matters of equity and injustice,” said Sarah White, chief diversity officer at La Roche.
“I appreciated that subjects were examined through a global lens, taking into account that not all participants come from the same backgrounds and experiences. At the same time, examples of local issues were tied in where relevant, allowing participants to connect to familiar situations while also understanding diverse experiences from outside of our area.”
This year, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh will be hosting its own in-person events during the challenge. Each Friday in April, the organization will host a discussion group for participants from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in its office at 2313 E. Carson St., with refreshments provided.
“Our discussion groups are a great way for community members to connect with each other over shared values,” said Sebastian Lacy, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh’s vice president of equity and culture. “Whether you plan to complete every Racial Justice Challenge activity or just want to learn more about YWCA Greater Pittsburgh’s programs, we encourage all who are interested to attend.”
Registration is open; those interested in participating can visit YWCA Greater Pittsburgh’s website to learn more.
