Taking a Stand Against Racism

On April 30th, our United Way joined over 2,000 organizations nationally to take a Stand Against Racism.  Stand Against Racism is a movement initiated by the YWCA in 2008 to raise awareness that racism still exists in our communities and that it cannot be ignored or tolerated. Its objective is to bring organizations together, who believe like we do, that united we can eliminate racism.

We started the day with a morning rush-hour "stand" handing out buttons, bookmarks, recommended readings and encouraging visitors to take a stand by signing our community pledge:

"As an individual committed to social justice, I stand with the United Way against racism and discrimination of any kind. I will commit to a lifetime of promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people in my community and the world."

More than 90 of our neighbors at 51 Sleeper St. stopped by in the span of three hours to learn more about what we can do as individuals to help.  At noon, a dozen friends gathered around for a lunchtime screening of Episode 1: Our American Stories of the PBS series Faces of America, featuring Professor Henry Louis Gates.  We were honored to get a special visit from Patti Keenan, Vice President & Chief Development Officer, and Jen Cedor from the YWCA Boston who thanked us for lending our voice and heart to this effort.

Later in the day, we joined our friends from Neighborhood Health Plan and other neighbors, businesses, and friends of the Fort Point Channel to hold hands over the Summer Street/Congress Street bridges.  This was the day's magnum opus!  Over 400 people held signs, chanted rallying cries, and spoke to passers-by in an effort to raise awareness that racism still exists and there is something we can do to end it. 

Core to the values of United Way is the idea that when you reach out the hand to one, you influence the condition of all and, for as long as racism and discrimination continue to exist, the vision of a better place for all will be impossible to attain.  In this time of strife and uncertainty, it is imperative to take a stand for our values.  There is something you can do to make a difference.  Live United.

For more information about the movement visit: www.StandAgainstRacism.org

YWCA Boston has an ongoing project that brings people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds together for facilitated discussions on race and ethnicity that aim to make Boston neighborhoods stronger and unified.  If you'd like to participate of a YWCA Community Dialogue in Boston visit: http://www.ywcaboston.org/dialogues/