The Pledge to End Racism Movement is more than a signature on a page. It’s a living, breathing process to help all of us become better equipped to talk about race and racism and take action to end systemic racism. Once you have signed the Pledge, you must take steps to live out your commitment to end racism in your community. Here are some ideas for next steps.
- Print out the pledge and tape it to your mirror or the back of your phone. Make it visible to you in some way so that you read it every day.
- Every month commit to reading one book, seeing one film, or attending one workshop/talk that addresses race and racism.
- Participate in a Living the Pledge workshop or other anti-racism training.
- Start a journal where you write down racial situations you encounter in your day-to-day life — at work, in your family, with your friends — and how you respond to them. If you’re not happy with your response, reflect on ways you might respond differently in the future.
- Identify one issue that disproportionately affects people of color in the Richmond area that you’d like to learn more about. Examples might be the ballpark, Shockhoe Bottom preservation, public transportation, the Confederate flag, immigration, incarceration, police relations. Seek out information about this topic. Attend community forums, read newspaper accounts, talk with people in your neighborhood, and then get involved.
More resources to help you on your anti-racism journey…
