Erase Racism Inc

YOU can help challenge racism, segregation, and discrimination on Long Island right from your computer or smartphone. ERASE Racism is participating in One Island Giving Day 2018, a Long Island-wide campaign to raise $1 million for our region’s non-profit organizations.  It is the perfect opportunity for you and your friends to help end segregation and discrimination, right here on Long Island.  The actual day for One Island Giving Day is October 26.

There are two ways to participate in the One Island Giving Day. You can make a financial contribution and you can fundraise for ERASE Racism. 

To get started you can click the  Donate button to make a  contribution and you can click the Fundraise button to create a fundraiser. When clicking the Fundraise button you will be presented with two different options.  You can choose to be an individual fundraiser where you’re the point person or you can create a team or join an existing team.

ERASE Racism's Vision:  Transformed, integrated communities in which no person’s access to opportunity is limited by race or ethnicity.  

ERASE Racism's mission:  To expose forms of racial discrimination, advocate for laws and policies that eliminate racial disparities, increase understanding of how structural racism and segregation impact our communities and region, and engage the public in fostering equity and inclusion.

Even though overall diversity has increased, Long Island is one of the ten most racially segregated regions in the United States.  This separation and exclusion means that black and brown residents are frequently barred from housing and education opportunities, and that many residents of all backgrounds do not have meaningful, enriching interactions with neighbors who look different from them.  

This fall, ERASE Racism is launching a new initiative to change the narrative around race and racism, and bring diverse Long Islanders together for courageous conversations that move us forward.  Watch for our community forums, attend, and bring a friend or family member. 

Meanwhile, we are continuing our programs to mobilize students, teachers, parents, administrators, and other stakeholders around a more equitable and integrated public education system.  For students, we are building an Island-wide Student Voices Campaign, and for teachers, we offer much lauded professional development programs around issues of diversity, inclusion, and culturally responsive instruction.   For educators, we have convened a 200-member strong Education Equity Working Group that focuses on culturally responsive curricula, professional development, increasing faculty diversity, and universal Pre-K.  All of our efforts are grounded in meticulous research, which we share with the public. 

And we are spearheading a movement to strengthen protections against housing discrimination based on source-of-income.  This would make it illegal to deny housing to those receiving veterans benefits, disability payments, child support, and/or other forms of assistance.

ERASE Racism has a history of successfully redressing racial discrimination via community organizing, policy and legislative advocacy, public education, and litigation.  Our activities have involved a cross section of Long Island leaders, students, teachers, tenants, homeowners, and other partners, who have formulated and pursued remedies to persistent regional inequities rooted in institutional and structural racism.   Some our recent accomplishments include:

• Conducting professional development for about 300 area teachers.
• Convening nearly 70 diverse students from 16 different for a full day of leadership development, exploration of the roots of segregation on Long Island, and discussions of how we can move forward.
• Organizing an Education Equity Working Group of 200 teachers, superintendents, administrators, parents, advocates, and other stakeholders.
• Leading a diverse coalition to advocate for statewide protections against discrimination based on source of income.
• Affecting nearly 850 Long Islanders with our intensive Unraveling Racism Training.
• Building a Partnership for Racial Equity of more than 1,300 members.