The YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. The Challenge works to foster personal reflection, encourage social responsibility, and motivate participants to identify and act on ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.

YWCA has a long and proud history of advancing justice within and outside the organization, from modeling a more diverse leadership representation to striving for fair housing where all people can live harmoniously in the same neighborhoods.

Hosted annually in the spring, the Racial Justice Challenge is a four-week learning engagement that includes daily challenge activities such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, journaling, and more. 

Registration fees for the Racial Justice Challenge help support our Violence Prevention Education Programs.

Email racialjusticechallenge@yourywca.org to find out how you can get involved.

 

We are proud to continue to build on our momentum for advancing justice, and the YWCA Racial Justice Challenge is a critical component in realizing this vision.

The 2026 Challenge focused exclusively on voting rights—honoring 250 years of the American democratic experiment while exposing inequities, uplifting the struggle for access to the ballot, and advocating for a future where every American’s vote is protected, valued, and accessible. Participants were invited to take part in a weekly virtual connection hour with our Social Justice Department that offered space for reflection, dialogue and collective learning. Each connection included brief remarks from YWCA’s leadership and community partners as well as provide opportunities to connect with fellow participants.