By now you may have heard that thousands of individuals and hundreds of local organizations have joined together to take a community-wide 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is dedicated to learning and taking action to create an equitable community for all, so over the past month, our staff has committed to furthering our understanding of power, privilege, supremacy, oppression, and equity with the help of the United Way of Greater Rochester.

Based on the work of Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., the program has been implemented in dozens of regions across the country. For 21 days participants receive a daily email with articles, podcasts, and videos to learn about racism and equity, suggestions for reflection and options to continue learning or take action. Here in the Greater Rochester area, more than 50 civic leaders and human service organizations proposed, vetted, and selected content that relates to our local community. By committing to the Challenge, we create a powerful opportunity to collectively develop a deeper understanding of how inequity and racism affect our lives and community.

“Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started.”

-Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr.
21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge ©

The premise of the Challenge is simple, but the problems it aims to address are extremely complex. There are hard facts that show just how much work is yet to be done in our communities; we must face them. But this is a marathon, not a sprint. Impacting real, long-term change takes time and dedication; and it’s a lot to process. The work is admittedly difficult and draining, but the need for change is great and worth the effort.

So, let’s start where we are, in the vineyards, our wineries and tasting rooms, in our homes, our offices, our churches and community centers. Collectively, people of all races and backgrounds must work together to create change. Specifically, white people must engage in addressing what our institutional structures are doing to people of color… and to our future as a community. Thank you for standing with us to confront racism, bias, and other social injustices to create a just and equitable community for all.

If you would like to learn more about the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge, visit www.rocequitychallenge.org. A challenge recap will be presented tomorrow, December 3rd, more information is provided below.

More than 100,000 community members joined the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge from October 23 – November 20. Join us for a recap of the Challenge with a presentation by Wade Norwood, CEO of Common Ground Health, about the history of Rochester, the impact of racial inequities in our community, and how to continue your commitment to equity. Everyone is welcome to this virtual event, even if you have not yet completed the Challenge. Click here to register.