Show up. Act up. Speak up. That’s the slogan of the 21 Day Challenge program.

Hosted by the Center for Community Service, each week students are given different challenges and have conversations on how to be an ally and how to utilize one’s own privilege to help people of color. The challenge is a self-reflective experience where students can critically examine their own predispositions as well as address institutional social justice issues.

The 21 Day Challenge meetings take place every Thursday throughout February from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union.

Sessie Agbley, a graduate student and Center for Community Service Coordinator, said that the goal of the event is to get students out in Milwaukee and use their privilege to support people of color. The slogan breaks it down.

“Showing up means you have to be committed to doing this work,” Agbley said. “Acting up means participating in various activities to reduce their biases and to engage them in a more critical and compassionate way. Speaking up means if you’ve committed to doing the work we must speak up once these conversations come.”

Organizers said the event was implemented after the events following George Floyd’s death as a continuation of the critical institutional assessments that occurred throughout 2020. It gives students the opportunity to have conversations that may be uncomfortable before they engage in service in the greater Milwaukee community.

“We assume the best intentions of everyone and if you’re someone who is struggling to really engage with conversation, especially as a white person, know that this is an environment where you can come and learn,” Agbley said. “More importantly, one white student doing the work is not enough so bring a community of people, bring your friends, extend the conversation to your family to other spaces.”

These meetings act as a training for many students to better understand what needs to be addressed and the mindset they must adapt to in order to make the change. The meetings included a slide show guiding the speakers through the presentations, videos that prompt activities and small group discussion among attendees as well as an open floor for participants to share their thoughts with the group.

Kaiden Brinson, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences who attended the event, said he believes it’s an important discussion to have, regardless of the attendees’  motive for participating in the discussions.

“It’s nice to have conversations that seem like they’re leading somewhere and shifting people’s mindsets and ideologies away from inaction and towards involvement,” Brinson said.

These conversations are taking place during Black History Month this year. Organizers said this is a reminder for students that now more than ever they should elevate voices that aren’t often listened to.

Program assistant Lisset Perez said that students should be continuing these conversations beyond this month.

“The biggest thing is to know is if you want to truly be an ally you can’t just post on social media,” Perez said. “You need to seek where you can actually act and where you can use your own privilege to better support those who don’t have it. Black history means acknowledging Black culture and Black love beans being inclusive…if it wasn’t for Black history, America wouldn’t be here today.”

The 21 Day Challenge has two more events this month, however, the event coordinators are encouraging students to continue these conversations beyond the month of February.

This story was written by Sarah Richardson. She can be reached at [email protected]