LEWISTON — YWCA Central Maine’s annual signature event, Stand Against Racism, is moving online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For its ninth year, YWCA will host a virtual 21 Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge. The event is free and everyone in Maine is encouraged to participate.

The challenge is an opportunity to dive deep into racial equity and social justice. Participants will be provided with curated articles, podcasts and activities delivered to their inbox each morning. Emails will be sent out beginning Friday, May 1, and continue Monday to Friday through May 29, with special videos and activities for children every Friday.

Taking part in an activity like this helps participants discover how racial inequity and social injustice impact a community and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination. The challenge encourages people across the state to examine how racism and bias impact their lives and their communities.

Registration is open on YWCA Central Maine’s website and Facebook. YWCA will also facilitate conversations in a private Challenge Facebook group, where participants have the option to discuss the content and engage with others taking the challenge.

The challenge was adapted from Central Maine’s sister organization, YWCA Greater Cleveland, in turn inspired by Food Solutions New England. The latter was the first to adapt an exercise from Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. and Debby Irving’s book into the interactive 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits and bring awareness to issues of race, power, privilege and leadership.