5-Day Equity Challenge Resources: Financial Stability
The resources shared during our 5-Day Equity Challenge were a powerful opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of how inequity and racism affect our lives and our community.
We are grateful to the participants who joined us on this journey, and the continued engagement of so many in this challenge. We’ve created a quick post-challenge survey that asks you to share your final thoughts on the experience, including questions to help us improve the Equity Challenge in the future. Thank you for joining us on this journey!
Tools & Resources
Day 1
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)
Day 2
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)
Day 3
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)
Day 4
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)
Day 5
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)
United Way of Western CT Rejects Racism And All Forms of Discrimination
United Way of Western Connecticut is committed to building our community into a place where every child, family, and person has the opportunity to thrive. We focus on households at or below the ALICE® (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) threshold who have had the least opportunities for success. In doing our part to uplift this population, we are active on many fronts. Today we are speaking out louder than in the past to condemn with zero tolerance acts of racism, bigotry, xenophobia, and expressions of discrimination stemming from one’s race, ethnicity, faith, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, sex, age, national origin.
We act by using our resources to tackle the structural barriers to equity from the long shadow of systemic racism that has impeded the health, education, safety, and wellbeing of many members of our society. United Way of Western Connecticut recognizes the power and privilege of our brand. As leaders in our community, we are using both to take action in being part of the solution for positive change. Therefore, we commit to:
- Transforming systems and instituting systemic changes that create a more just and equitable future.
- 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.
- Elevating the voice and power of our community.
- Learning and growing together as a community through ongoing training and conversations about race and equity.
We are committed to improving lives by partnering with the community and creating a future of greater inclusion and equity.