Equity Challenge

Sign up for the 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge

21 Day Challenge: Disability Equity

United Ways across the state of Michigan are partnering with local Centers for Independent Living to present this 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge. This statewide effort will explore disability from a position of equity and pride to raise awareness, increase understanding, and shift perspectives about disability in our culture.Top of Form
 

All videos included throughout this challenge are captioned. Some content includes audio description, and some include transcription. All images and infographics will include image descriptions. Please reach out to our team at terri.legg@liveunitedm-i.org at any time with any questions about accessibility and/or accommodation requests.

Please let us know if you need an accommodation to participate.

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United Way's Definition of Equity

Equity is the intentional including of everyone in society. Equity is achieved when systemic, institutional, and historical barriers based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and other identities are dismantled and no longer predict socioeconomic, education and health outcomes. 

To learn more about United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties' Equity Vision visit our Statement of Principle page.

Check out Our Blog to read more about what United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties is doing to promote equity.

Equity steps

While you wait for our next challenge, take a look at these resources and trainings:

21 Day Challenge: Disability Equity

Registration Open NOW!Disability Equity Logo

We all know something about disability. Whether you are a person with a disability, know someone with a disability, or have simply seen people with disabilities, we probably all have an idea what we think it means to have a disability. 

But let’s go deeper. During the month of August, United Ways across the state of Michigan are partnering with local Centers for Independent Living to present the 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge. This statewide effort to explore disability from a position of equity and pride is designed to raise awareness, increase understanding, and shift perspectives about disability in our culture. Participants will receive one email each weekday beginning Aug. 1 that features videos, articles, podcasts, and discussion questions on topics including ableism, the history of the disability justice movement, intersectionality, language, accessibility, systemic inequalities for people with disabilities, allyship, and disability pride. 

The challenge will launch in conjunction with the latest installment of the ALICE in Focus Research Series from the Michigan Association of United Ways (MAUW) and research partner United For ALICE. This report, to be released July 26 on the 32nd Anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will use data and analysis to spotlight the realities of people living with disabilities in Michigan.

The Disability Equity Challenge is modeled after the 21-Day Race Equity Challenge developed by diversity experts Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., Debby Irving, and Dr. Marguerite Penick and adapted for the United Way network by United Way of Washtenaw County. The specific content found in the 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge was developed by Disability Network Southwest Michigan.

21 Day Equity ChallengeMLK quote

Thank you for your interest in joining the United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties' 21-Day Equity Challenge – we hope you will join us.

The recent release of the ALICE and Black Households Data clearly illustrates the inequities that are deeply rooted in our national, state, and local systems and institutions.  Over the 21-day Challenge, you will take a self-guided learning journey that examines the history and impacts of racism and how it shapes people’s lived experience in Montcalm and Ionia Counties.

The Challenge is simple: you (along with your friends, family, and neighbors in Montcalm and Ionia Counties) commit to deepening your understanding of, and willingness to confront racism for twenty-one consecutive days. The Challenge will raise your awareness, change your understanding, and shift the way you behave.

This Challenge was originally developed by Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., Dr. Marguerite Penick-Parks and Debby Irving and has been adapted by Food Solutions New England. The Michigan Association of United Ways has committed to adapt the challenge with the support of leaders across our Michigan United Way network. A special thank you to the United Way of Washtenaw County for their leadership and guidance.

About the Equity Challenge

  • Individuals and organizations in Montcalm and Ionia Counties commit to deepening their understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism for twenty-one consecutive days.
  • During every morning of the Challenge, they receive an email "prompt" with readings, videos and/or podcasts. They are encouraged to take about ten to fifteen minutes each day with the material in the prompt.
  • Download our discussion guide by clicking here.
  • Daily reflections and actions can be captured in our activity log.  Click here to download the log. 
  • Reflections and “a ha” moments can be shared using the hashtags #miuwequitychallenge. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!