Citizens & EVERFI Present Inaugural Black History Month Challenge

Citizens is partnering with leading social impact education innovator EVERFI to present the EVERFI Black History Month Challenge taking place throughout the month of February. The Black History Month Challenge is a first-of-its-kind national competition to help high school students across the U.S. understand the Black American experience through historical perspectives.

The month-long challenge, created by EVERFI, and supported by leading companies nationwide, features four digital lessons and a capstone essay contest in which students will share a plan for maintaining conversations about Black history year-round within their community. Three winners of the Black History Month Challenge will receive college scholarships totaling $20,000.

The Black History Month Challenge is designed to inspire students by telling stories about the Black experience in America; empower students through the counter-storytelling of Black perspectives across generations; elevate history as a lens to understand current events; and transform students’ perception of the world around them. Students will explore topics and events including Juneteenth, Affirmative Action, and the protests and marches for civil rights and equality. In the Black Business Titans lesson, students explore the history behind the racial wealth gap, and how Black entrepreneurs and businesspeople are overcoming challenges every day. In the lesson on Black Contributions to Medicine, students explore the roots of systemic racism in medical care and celebrate Black medical trailblazers historically and present day.

“Citizens is committed to social and economic equity by driving real and lasting change,” said Barbara Cottam, EVP and Head of Corporate Affairs at Citizens. “By promoting education and discussion through the Black History Month Challenge, we hope it will inspire dialogue and a greater understanding of race and social equity in our society.”

“Far too often, Black history is reduced to a handful of memorable moments and events, positioned as disjointed from American history, or revised in ways that are inaccurate,” said EVERFI Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jesse Bridges. “In an effort to honor the Black experience and invite deeper exploration, the Black History Month Challenge was established to illuminate some of those “lesser-known” moments and facts in Black history, and to inspire enduring conversations about race and allyship among young people today.”

“We are proud to work with Black and Brown communities we serve by providing access to education that drives conversations on Black history all year round,” said Mike Sebring, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Citizens. “Our partnership with EverFi is a one example that highlights our approach across the organization to inspire change and further our efforts to increase inclusivity and break down systemic barriers.”

In addition to supporting the Black History Month Challenge, Citizens works with EVERFI to provide College Bound Citizens, a digital education program for high school juniors and seniors which aims to help empower students to make wise financial decisions when planning for post-secondary education.

Citizens is committed to harnessing the bank’s resources, expertise and the unique strengths of its culture to help drive real and lasting progress across the diverse communities it serves. Earlier this year, the company committed $10 million in grants and charitable support for immediate and longer-term initiatives aimed at supporting minority-owned small businesses, increasing awareness of racial disparities, and supporting underserved communities through technology, education and digital literacy initiatives. It also includes more than $500 million in incremental financing and capital for small businesses, housing, and other development in predominately minority communities.

To learn more about the EVERFI Black History Month Challenge, visit https://citizens.everfi-next.net/welcome/bhm.