Effective immediately, the Urban League of Rochester is the new steward and agency administrator for the Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI). This program will be combined with the Urban League’s antiracist educational initiatives under the INTERRUPT RACISM name as a primary focus of its newly created Equity and Advocacy Division.

“The Urban League is an ideal fit for REJI because racial equity work is our primary mission, and a comprehensive education component like the one that REJI has developed will complement and enhance our INTERRUPT RACISM initiative,” stated Dr. Seanelle Hawkins, President and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester.

REJI is a successful, ongoing, community-wide initiative that addresses racism by building community capacity for racial equity and focusing on change at the individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels. Under the leadership of Saint Joseph’s Neighborhood Center (SJNC), REJI has engaged over 40 organizations and more than 400 leaders in the Rochester community across two cohorts in dismantling racism.

“We can think of no better organization to take over REJI than the Urban League,” said Sister Christine Wagner, Executive Director of SJNC, characterizing the initiative’s work as “shining a light on the evil of structural racism.” “It is with confidence that we put this important program in their hands,” Wagner continued. The Urban League plans to continue and build upon the legacy of the Sisters of Saint Joseph with great care and respect. Both pre-existing REJI cohorts will receive ongoing support and resources from the Urban League.

“The need to continue this work is increasingly apparent, especially during the current climate, and we are so grateful to be handed the baton in stewarding REJI” Hawkins remarked. “We are receiving more requests than ever from organizations to assist with tackling complex issues associated with all aspects of racism and creating spaces that demonstrate a more equitable Rochester.”

With over 55 years of advocacy and human service experience in the Greater Rochester area, the Urban League returns to its roots in facilitating civil rights initiatives and actions in the creation of an entire distinct division centered on Equity and Advocacy. The Urban League underscores its own commitment to furthering and growing these efforts in hiring the esteemed Dr. Kiah Nyame to head up the division as the Equity and Advocacy Officer, a position that Hawkins likened to a “community DEI officer.” Nyame will also join the executive leadership team of the Urban League to augment the focus on equity in each of the more than 25 programs therein.

“The work of INTERRUPT RACISM will build on the current foundation of REJI while also transforming it to utilize a holistic approach model that ensures all community stakeholders are heard and advocated for,” explained Nyame.

Sashanna Mitchell, REJI’s program coordinator at SJNC, will continue in this capacity as the coordinator of INTERRUPT RACISM. Applications to join the first INTERRUPT RACISM cohort under Mitchell’s leadership will be available in April 2021.

“I am committed to this work, not just my individual job and program, but to real change, and I’m honored to continue it here at the Urban League” Mitchell said. “The reason why I’m so committed is that I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have had to go through as a Black woman with respect to pay inequity, internalized racism and oppression, and questioning my own worth. There are systems at play in Rochester that haven’t allowed me and other Black Rochesterians to live our best lives. When I realized that this struggle was by design, I committed myself to interrupting that process for my community. I won’t give up, and the Urban League won’t give up.”  

INTERRUPT RACISM began in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis in late May 2020 as the Urban League of Rochester’s response to the public outcry for racial justice and equity. In just three days, INTERRUPT RACISM moved from conception to execution as a “community-wide suggestion box” and collective impact platform for racial inequities in Rochester. In a forthcoming report from the Urban League of Rochester, with data analysis support from Rochester Institute of Technology, the responses to this platform will be shared with the community so that actionable steps on the path to healing may be taken.

As the double pandemic of COVID-19 and systemic racism continued throughout 2020, the Urban League developed INTERRUPT RACISM into a racial equity educational initiative in its own right, culminating in the first-ever INTERRUPT RACISM Summit on October 20 and 21, 2020. This innovative virtual conference brought together seven luminary keynote speakers, more than 30 presenters and workshop facilitators, and over 500 attendees from across the country to interrupt racism. A genuine community of “INTERRUPTERS,” individuals committed to vulnerably engaging with tackling issues of systemic racism, developed from the Summit. The Urban League has already begun planning multiple follow-up INTERRUPT RACISM events for 2021.

“This is just the beginning of the equity and advocacy work we have envisioned for Rochester,” Hawkins added.

Questions and press inquiries may be directed to William Rivera-Bloodworth, Marketing, Communications, and Digital Engagement Officer, at wrivera@ulr.org.