What is US National Close the Gap Day?
US National Close the Gap Day, observed on March 23 every year in the United States, is a day to recognize the inequities in health, education, economics, and opportunities that exist and take action to close the gaps. In 2007, Australia instituted National Close the Gap Day to bring together Australians from all over the country to advocate for health equity and more equitable conditions for Aborigines, Australia’s indigenous people. Prior to 2023, no official day existed in the United States which recognize the racial, cultural, national origin, or geographical gaps in areas such as health, housing and home ownership, education, technology, social justice, green space, income and wealth, or opportunities. US National Close the Gap Day crosses the waters to join with Australia to recognize inequities here in the United States and advocate for their equities.
How is US National Close the Gap Day observed?
- Recognize that racial, cultural, national origin, and geographical gaps in health, housing and home ownership, education, technology, social justice, green space, income and wealth, and opportunities exist.
- Educate yourself on issues surrounding the existing racial, cultural, national origin, and geographical gaps.
- Participate in one-on-one or group conversations about the sources of the gaps and how they can be closed.
- Support an organization that is working to close racial, cultural, national origin, and geographical gaps in health, housing and home ownership, education, technology, social justice, green space, income and wealth, or opportunities.
- Volunteer
- Support financially
- Spread the word in your sphere of influence or on social media on any work being done to close racial, cultural, national origin, or geographical gaps in health, housing, education, digital access, social justice, income and wealth, or opportunities.
- Host or attend an event that draws attention to a particular health, education, economic or other issue in which a gap or disparity exists based on race, culture, national origin, or geography.
- Support legislation that serves to increase equity and close racial, cultural, national origin, and geographic disparity gaps.
- Remember that it takes all of us to close the gaps.
Why was US National Close the Gap Day created?
US National Close the Gap Day was created by the founder of Closing the Gap Year, Inc., a nonprofit organization working to close the gap in the rates and consequences of African American or Black youth who are disconnected from work or school. In the 2021 update, A Decade Undone reported that across the U.S., Black youth, age 16-24, experienced the highest rates of youth disconnection with 16.7% of Black youth being disconnected from school and work as compared to 8.8% of White youth and 12.1% of Latino youth. The consequences of disconnection from work and school range from increased chances of living in poverty, limited education attainment, early childbearing, and juvenile justice involvement to missed opportunities to gain skills, experience, professional connections, and self-confidence and agency. The consequences of disconnection can further contribute to widening the gaps in other social and economic areas.