The E.R.A.C.E. Foundation, although officially organized in early 1997, was the product of nearly four years of heart-felt discussion and conceptualization by dc Talk members Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait and Kevin Max, along with manager Dan Pitts and Gotee Records President Joey Elwood. Prompted by a strong desire to take an active role in promoting racial reconciliation among people from all cultural backgrounds, these men envisioned an organization that would be able to encourage communities across the country toward racial harmony. As a result, The E.R.A.C.E. Foundation was formed with a primary goal of educating and equipping the nation’s youth with an understanding of the importance of interracial unity.

Priorities for the foundation include increased communication among historically divided groups and the healing of long-standing social rifts. Targeted for the 15-25 year-old age group, E.R.A.C.E. programs include campus outreach, a series of issue-oriented public service announcements, special events and an Internet website.

"We believe that our generation can and will become a force for racial harmony," Michael Tait says. "One of our goals is to celebrate diversity and to realize that we can learn from one another. We want to motivate our generation to act on the core belief that we are all equal. That is one of the cornerstones of this organization."

Toby McKeehan explains, "We attempt to live our ideals on a daily basis, and that has more impact than words can ever have — it’s what we call living integration. Through the foundation, we challenge our audience to do the same."

In September of 1997, dc Talk launched The E.R.A.C.E. Foundation’s efforts by participating in the "Racial Reconciliation Rally" in Little Rock, Ark. The rally was part of a weeklong emphasis on racial reconciliation, marking the 40-year anniversary of the integration of Little Rock Central High School.

Each individual can make a difference in the fight against racism," Kevin Max comments. "The barriers that stand between us as people are of our own making. The E.R.A.C.E. Foundation is sounding a call to action to bring some of those barriers crashing down."

Since the Little Rock event, The E.R.A.C.E. Foundation has put in motion numerous plans for upcoming events across the country promoting racial unity. Its goal is to use education as the primary tool to promote dialogue among all people and eliminate barriers to racial reconciliation. The foundation will concentrate its efforts on American youth and hopes to set in motion a groundswell of advocacy for a new generation.