21 Day Challenge

As part of its ongoing efforts to increase racial equity and remove racism as a barrier to recovery and wellness, the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network has adapted Dr. Eddie Moore’s 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge©. We have included materials from popular culture to provide a framework for a lively discussion about not only how to understand racism, but also worldview: We believe that a critical analysis of how and where we receive information about “others/them” in relation to “us” better prepares us to understand and support our peers, neighbors, and fellow citizens. We also explore how representation has changed over time, and how different generations (both creators and consumers of media) have been impacted.

Some of the material is challenging. Some of the language is offensive by today’s standards, just as some of the language we are thoughtfully using today will likely be offensive in the near future. Language evolves with ideas, and through the GMHCN 21 Day Challenge, we hope everyone will look at the intent of the speakers, as we hope future generations will be generous with us. The dilemma of language is inherent in our own name—though we no longer refer to people receiving treatment or support for mental health concerns as “consumers,” it is in our name, which we retain as a tribute to those who founded GMHCN at a specific moment in time with the highest ideals, best of intent, and most informed worldview then possible.

We hope you will consider joining us on this journey of self-exploration, exploring where our worldviews came from, and how we can shape our perspectives to better understand our friends and neighbors, and the peer we support.

Day 1: TRTWolrd: Institutional racism in US explained through a Michael Jackson song (6 minutes)

Day 2: Racism Is Real: Systematic Racism Explained (3 minutes)

Day 3: Chris Rock: Who Wants to Change Places? (5 minutes)

Day 4: Vox: The US medical system is still haunted by slavery (9 minutes)

Day 5: Beyonce: Formation (5 minutes)

Day 6: James Baldwin: Pin Drop Speech at Cambridge (9 minutes)

Day 7: John Biewen: The Lie That Invented Racism (18 minutes)

Day 8: Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit (3 minutes)

Day 9: Childish Gambino: This is America (4 minutes); Sybolism in This is America

Day 10: Avenue Q: Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist (4 minutes)

Day 11: Chimamanda Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story (18 minutes)

Day 12: Eddie Murphy on The Dick Cavett Show (9 minutes)