Equity Challenge Resources

We are committed to improving lives by partnering with the community and creating a future of greater inclusion and equity.

 

United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut hosts quarterly 5-Day Equity Challenges on various topics. The challenges serve as a powerful opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of how inequity and racism affect our lives and our community. Below, you will find all of the resources from the previous Equity Challenges.

TOOLS & RESOURCES

CONTINUING OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

At United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, we believe our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work is fundamental to building our community into a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We prioritize and leverage our strong partnership with the community to ensure our work is improving lives and creating a future of greater inclusion and equity.

Here you will find curated content, the same content we use internally, to help stimulate discussions, introduce fresh ideas and new opportunities, and consider perspectives that are typically excluded from the conversation that highlights our progress and challenges along the way. We invite you to join us in this effort, to use these resources and tools in your own journey, and then to share your experiences and insights.

To access VOLUME 1 of the Equity Journey, click here.

Food Insecurity Overview

Read

 New Poverty and Food Insecurity Data Illustrate Persistent Racial Inequities (Read)

Watch

What is Food Insecurity? (Watch)

Listen

Hunger in America: Millions of Americans Didn't Have Enough Food Last Year (Listen)

Act

Food Research & Action Center - Bills We're Supporting (Act)

Support Resources

Feeding America (Read)

End Hunger Connecticut (Learn More)

Connecticut Food Bank (Read)

Foodshare (Read)

Dive Deeper

Hunger is a Racial Equity Issue (Read)

Food Insecurity in Connecticut (Read)

More Americans are Going Hungry, and it Costs More to Feed Them (Read)

Impact of Food Insecurity on Children

Read

 Hunger Advocates Want Free School Meals for all Kids. It's a Tough Sell in Congress (Read)

Watch

Child Food Insecurity Report on NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition (Watch)

Listen

How Food Insecurity Shapes Children and Families (Listen)

Act

Take Action for Children (Act)

Support Resources

Filling in the Blanks (Read)

End Hunger Connecticut (Learn More)

Dive Deeper

Before COVID, Stamford Schools Worried it Didn't Feed all its Hungry Kids. Now it can. (Read)

CT Aims to Expand Eligibility for Food Assistance Program (Read)

Child Hunger and Nutrition (Read)

Facts About Child Hunger in America (Read)

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Factsheet (Read)

School Meals are Essential for Student Health and Learning (Read)

Food Insecurity Among Older Adults

Read

 Feeding America Study Shows Deepening Divide in Senior Hunger Rates Along Racial and Ethnic Lines (Read)

Watch

More Than 9 Million Older Adults Face Food Insecurity (Watch)

Listen

Food Insecurity Among Older Adults (Listen)

Act

Take Action and Speak up (Act)

Support Resources

SNAP for Older Adults (Read)

 Check Your Eligibility for Food Assistance Programs (Check)

Dive Deeper

Understanding Food Insecurity Among Older Adults (Read)

Get the Facts on Food Insecurity and Older Adults (Read)

Food Insecurity in Black Communities (Read)

Food Insecurity and Health

Read

 Remembering the Impact of Malnutrition and Food Insecurity on Healthy Aging (Read)

Watch

Illuminating Intersections: Hunger and Health (Watch)

Listen

Systemic Racism, Childhood Food Insecurity, and Obesity (Listen)

Act

Take Action (Act)

Support Resources

Connecting food-insecure individuals to programs and resources (Read)

Dive Deeper

Effects of Hunger (Read)

Child Hunger and Long-Term Adverse Consequences for Health (Read)

State and Federal Policy Changes

Read

 CT Aims to Expand Eligibility for Food Assistance Program (Read)

Watch

How Can we Change our Food Systems? Integrated Food Policy (Watch)

Listen

Hunger, Historical Policies, and Structural Racism in the U.S. (Listen)

Act

Advocacy Action at End Hunger CT! (Act)

Support Resources

Can I Get Food Stamps: A Non-Citizens Guide to SNAP Benefits (Read)

Dive Deeper

A Way Out of Food Racism & Poverty (Watch)

Systemic Racism - Housing Discrimination

Read

 Racial Inequities in Housing (Read)

Watch

Segregated by Design (Watch)

Listen

The Racist Architecture of Homeownership: How Housing Segregation has Persisted (Listen)

Act

5 Policy Solutions to Advance Racial Equity in Housing (Act)

Support Resources

In Connecticut, fair housing is your right - Learn to recognize the signs of discrimination in rental, sales, and lending, and how to protect yourself (Learn More)

Connecticut Fair Housing Center (Learn More)

Dive Deeper

Connecticut’s Housing Divide (Watch)

How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering (Read)

Solutions to Racial Disparities in Housing (Watch)

White Americans Confront Legacy of Housing Discrimination (Watch)

Housing Segregation - Redlining and Financing

Read

The Lasting Legacy of Redlining (Read)

Watch

What is Redlining? (Watch)

Listen

A 'Forgotten History' of how the U.S. government segregated America (Listen)

Act

Interactive Redlining Map Zooms in on America's History of Discrimination (Act)

Support Resources

It is illegal for lenders and creditors to discriminate against anyone based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status. If you believe a lender has discriminated against you or anyone else for any reason, you have options. Submit a complaint online with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or by calling (855) 411-2372, or file a Fair Housing complaint at HUD.gov.

Dive Deeper

RACE - The Power of an illusion: How the Racial Wealth Gap Was Created (Watch)

Housing Segregation and Redlining in America: A Short History (Watch)

Homelessness and Racial Disparities

Read

Homelessness and Racial Disparities (Read)

Watch

Youth of Color Disproportionately Impacted by Housing Instability (Watch)

Listen

Unraveling The Mystery Of Why So Many African-Americans End Up Homeless (Listen)

Act

Get involved with The Housing Collective.

Attend a virtual listening session, dive into Race Equity resources, and get involved as an advocate with CT Coalition to End Homelessness

Support Resources

Anyone seeking shelter in Connecticut needs to connect directly with 2-1-1 before receiving help. Dial 2-1-1 or search online at 211ct.org.

Dive Deeper

Racial Equity & Housing with Amanda Andere (Watch)

‘A Pileup of Inequities’: Why People of Color Are Hit Hardest by Homelessness (Read)

Funders Together to End Homelessness: Racial Equity Resources (Resources)

How to Start Addressing Racial Disparities in Your Community (Read)

Zoning Policies and Practices

Read

America’s Racist Housing Rules Really can be Fixed (Read)

Watch

How Zoning can Restrict or Even Prevent Affordable Housing (Watch)

Listen

Addressing Structural Racism in Urban Planning (Listen)

Act

 Get involved in one of several CT initiatives

 Growing Together Connecticut

 Open Communities Alliance

 DesegrateCT

Support Resources

 CT Fair Housing 

 Report Housing Discrimination

Dive Deeper

A Fair Share Housing Model for CT (Read)

Zoning for Equity (Read)

CT Zoning Atlas (View)

‘Zoning for Equity’ Report by Local Nonprofit Finds Barriers Persist in Building Affordable Housing (Read)

The Freedom to Divide: Zoning and Segregation in Connecticut (Read)

Renters' and Tenants' Rights

Read

Black and Hispanic Renters Experience Discrimination in Almost Every Major American City (Read)

Watch

Can They Do That? Understanding and Protecting Tenants' Rights in Connecticut (Watch)

Listen

The Color of Evictions (Listen)

Act

 Support the new Connecticut Right to Counsel Program through Eviction Help CT (Support)

 Join a fair housing training from the CT Fair Housing Center (Join)

Support Resources

 Landlords/Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities 211  

 EvictionHelpCT

 CT Fair Housing Center

History and Policy that Led to Racial and Ethnic Wealth Gaps

Read

 Systemic Inequality: How America's Structural Racism Helped Create the Black-White Wealth Gap (Read)

Watch

Explained | Racial Wealth Gap (Watch)

Listen

Investing in Black Economic Mobility (Listen)

Act

Center for Global Policy Solutions (Act)

CT By the Numbers (Act)

Dive Deeper

How the GI Bill's Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans (Read)

Racial Wealth Gap May be a Key to Other Inequities (Read)

Why We Need Reparations for Black Americans (Read)

The Economic Impact of Closing the Racial Wealth Gap (Read)

Many Minorities Avoid Seeking Credit Due to Generations of Discrimination. Why That Keeps Them Back (Read)

Employment and Wage Gap

Read

Five Ways to Win an Argument about the Gender Wage Gap (Read)

Watch

How Corporate America is Failing Black Employees (Watch)

Listen

Pay Transparency: One Way to Reduce Wage Gap for Women and People of Color  (Listen)

Act

Six Steps Everyday People Can Take To Close The Wealth Gap  (Act)

Dive Deeper

Earnings Disparities by Race and Ethnicity (Read)

It Takes Black Women In the US 20 minutes to Earn What White Men Make in a Year (Read)

Connecticut Passes Law Requiring Disclosure of Wage Ranges (Read)

The Impact of Structural Racism in Employment and Wages on Minority Women’s Health (Read)

Explained | Why Women are Paid Less (Watch)

 

Financial Aid and Student Debt

Read

How Student Debt and the Racial Wealth Gap Reinforce Each Other (Read)

Watch

Student Debt Relief Could Help Close America's Massive Racial Wealth Gap (Watch)

Listen

The Life-Altering Differences Between White and Black Debt (Listen)

Act

Add Your Name - Cancel $50,000 in Student Loan Debt (Act)  

Dive Deeper

Black-White Disparity in Student Loan Debt More Than Triples After Graduation (Read)

Student Loans, the Racial Wealth Divide, and why we Need Full Student Debt Cancellation (Read)

How Student Debt and the Racial Wealth Gap Reinforce Each Other (Read)

U.S. Department of Education Releases New Data on Racial Differences in Financial Aid (Read)

Borrowers of Color & the Student Debt Crisis (Read)

Student Debt is a Racial Justice Issue. Here’s What President Biden Can Do to Help (Read)

 

Financial Literacy

Read

What This Black Mother is Teaching her 2 Young kids About Finance and Life: ‘Money is Power’ (Read)

Watch

How I Learned to Read–and Trade Stocks–in Prison (Watch)

Listen

Community First: Building Latinx Wealth (Listen)

Act

Call 1­800-FED­-INFO if you have a question about federal agencies, programs, benefits, or services related to financial literacy and education.

Dive Deeper

The Wealth Gap: Addressing Economic Inequality in the U.S (Read)

A History of Income Inequality in the United States (Read)

FT Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign: The U.S Must Confront Financial Illiteracy Head-On (Read)

Disparities in Wealth by Race and Ethnicity in the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances (Read)

#BossTalks | Taking Control of Your Finances with Sallie Krawcheck (Watch)

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2020 (Read)

 

Generational Wealth

Read

Connecticut has Among Nation's Largest Wealth Gap by Race and Ethnicity (Read)

Watch

The Racial Wealth Gap in America (Watch)

Listen

The Growing Racial Divide In Millennial Wealth (Listen)

Act

Advocate for change. Be aware of legislation coming up before the CT General Assembly and sign up to testify in support of bills that address issues of equity. Learn more (HERE)

Dive Deeper

The Land of Our Fathers, Part 1 (Listen)

 Disparities in Wealth by Race and Ethnicity in the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances (Read)

 

Feature

Creative Ways To Get Kids To Thrive In School  (Watch)

Read

Raising Race Conscious Children  (Read)

Watch

Community Adverse Experiences  (Watch)

AC360 - Kids on Race: The Hidden Picture  (Watch)

Listen

Talking Race With Young Children  (Listen)

Act

Start a Conversation With Your Child About Race and Injustice  (Read)

Feature

Conversation with Kevin L. Walston, Superintendent of Danbury Public Schools  (Watch)

Read

Reimagining School Board Leadership: Actions for Equity  (Read)

Fighting Systemic Racism in K-12 Education: Helping Allies Move From the Keyboard to the School Board  (Read)

Watch

The "Opportunity Gap" In US Public Education — And How To Close It | Anindya Kundu  (Watch)

How America’s Public Schools Keep Kids in Poverty  (Watch)

Listen

School Boards: A New Front Line in the Culture War  (Listen)

A Tale of Two School Districts  (Listen)

Act

Advocate for Students to Serve on or With Your Local Board of Education  (Read)

Bargaining for the Common Good  (Watch)

Dive Deeper

Dismantling Institutional Racism in Education (DIRE) Initiative  (Read)

Systems Change and Governance: School Boards that Lead for Equity  (Read)

Feature

Achieving Racial Equity in Education Through a Restorative Lens  (Watch)

Read

Restorative Justice In Schools: Designing For Equity  (Read)

Pinellas County Schools Try ‘Restorative’ Approach To Deal With Racial Disparities  (Read)

Watch

A Restorative Approach to Discipline  (Watch)

Why Black Girls Are Targeted For Punishment At School & How To Change That  (Watch)

Listen

Restorative Justice is Racial Justice  (Listen)

Why There’s a Push to get Police out of Schools  (Listen)

Act

Sign up for the FREE School Climate and/or Restorative Practices Training sponsored by Stamford Cradle to Career  

  • School Climate Training: January 27 & 28, 2022 8:30 am – 2 pm (Virtual)  (Register Here)
  • Restorative Practices Training: February 3 & 4, 2022 8:30 am – 2 pm (Virtual)  (Register Here)

     

Dive Deeper

The Adolescent Brain  (Watch)

How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across A Lifetime  (Watch)

Feature

Antonio Santiago, Dean, Naugatuck Valley Community College, Danbury Campus  (Watch)

Read

Perspective | Understanding And Connecting To Students To Increase Degree Attainment: The Power Of Community College Stories  (Read)

Pledge To Advance Connecticut (PACT)  (Read)

Watch

The ABCs Of Racial Inequality In Education  (Watch)

Access Ain’t Inclusion  (Watch)

Listen

'The State Must Provide' Is A Lesson On Inequality In Higher Ed, Past And Present  (Listen)

Act

Public Colleges And Universities Should Be Free  (Read)

3 Ways Federal Policy Solutions Can Level The Playing Field In Higher Education And The Economy  (Read)

Dive Deeper

Higher Ed Faces Racial Equity, Affordability Challenges This Year—But There’s Reason For Optimism, Too  (Listen)

Dive Deeper

5 Ways to Build a More Equitable Education System (Read)

 The Costs of Inequality: Education's The Key That Rules Them All (Read)

Education Gap: The Root of Inequality (Watch)

United Way of Coastal and Western CT Rejects Racism And All Forms of Discrimination

UWCWC is committed to building our community into a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We prioritize and leverage our strong partnership with the community to ensure our work is improving lives and creating a future of greater inclusion and equity. We have zero tolerance for and condemn acts of racism, bigotry, xenophobia, and expressions of discrimination stemming from one’s race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religious belief, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, sex, age, national origin, or any legally protected class under federal, state, or local laws. UWCWC is guided by the following principles:

  • We value, respect, and embrace diversity with a commitment to incorporating practices that enhance diversity into all areas of our work.
  • We acknowledge that combatting racism is an ongoing journey.
  • We strive to empower communities to have a voice in decision-making processes that impact their lives.
  • We acknowledge that transparency is essential for accountability and building trust.
  • Learning and growing together as a community through ongoing training and conversations about race and equity.

UWCWC recognizes the power and privilege of our brand. As leaders in our community, we will play a significant role in being part of the solution for positive change. Therefore, we commit to:

  • Assessing our actions, policies, and programs to ensure they are equitable and inclusive.
  • Communicating openly about our anti-racism efforts, progress, and challenges.
  • Learning and growing together as a community through ongoing training and conversations about race, equity and their intersections.
  • Transforming systems and instituting systemic changes that create a more just and equitable future.
  • Elevating the voice and power of our community.
  • Requiring accountability and transparency at all levels – from our organization to all institutions with whom we partner.
  • Advocating for justice and speaking up in unity and in action whenever we see justice not being served.