NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 18, 2024 - Are race relations truly advancing or regressing in Nashville and Tennessee as compared to half a century ago? As Nashville grappled with national scrutiny during the civil rights movement with iconic scenes of lunch counter sit-ins and desegregation efforts, the struggle for racial equality remains alarmingly relevant today. Recent events, from the brazen march of neo-Nazis through our streets to the resurgence of anti-Semitic propaganda, underscore the urgent need for action. Against this backdrop, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee announces the launch of an all-new Racial Justice Challenge on April 1st. This initiative, presented for the second consecutive year by the Harnisch Foundation, aims not only to educate but to ignite a collective movement toward dismantling systemic racism and fostering true equity in our communities.  Click here to register.

“Our mission is eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all,” said Sharon K. Roberson, President and CEO of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee. “It is crucial that we continue our racial and social justice pledge. This initiative is entering its fourth year, and it helps strengthen our racial justice muscle. We hope participants will come away with a broader perspective of their world and a hunger to keep learning while rooting out inequity in our communities and organizations.”

This year’s Racial Justice Challenge will focus on four topics over four weeks – Body Justice, Gun Violence, Financial Empowerment, and Transportation. Challenge-takers will be prompted to watch a video, listen to a podcast, reflect on personal experience and more. Participation in the project is intended to help individuals and groups discover the origins of racial and social injustices that continue to impact our community today. It is designed to be a flexible learning tool where individuals can engage in the activities on their own time and schedule.
 
YWCA is grateful to the Harnisch Foundation for supporting this initiative as presenting sponsor for the second year in a row. The founder and president of the foundation, Ruth Ann Harnisch, is an investor, philanthropist, activist, writer, and coach. Her ties to Nashville date to her time as a reporter and anchor for the CBS affiliate, WTVF-TV (NewsChannel 5), talk radio host at WLAC-AM, and columnist for the Nashville Banner.

“When I moved to Nashville in 1973, I was shocked to hear elected officials using racial slurs, to see prison officials taunting Black inmates, to know Black communities had been decimated by infrastructure that disrupted businesses and gathering places,” Harnisch said. “Fast forward over fifty years, and I'm proud to support the YWCA's Racial Justice Challenge. I'm sad that we need it now more than ever.”

 
About YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee
For 125 years, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee has helped women, girls and families in Nashville and Middle Tennessee build safer, more self-sufficient lives. YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Programs include Domestic Violence Services, Girls Inc., AMEND Together, Social Justice & Advocacy, Dress for Success, and the Family Learning Center. For more information, www.ywcanashville.com , follow us on twitter @YWCANashville, Instagram @YWCANashvile and find us on Facebook at facebook.com/YWCANashville.

About The Harnisch Foundation
The Harnisch Foundation, established in 1998, is committed to creating a fair, equitable, and inclusive world. Its founder and president, Ruth Ann Harnisch, worked in Nashville media when she was professionally known as Ruth Ann Leach. The Harnisch Foundation supports the work of effective leaders and creative communities working to advance equality and inclusivity, with a focus on gender and racial equity.

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