July 6, 2020
The documented, blatant, recurring racial injustice occurring around the country, marked by the most recent killings and violence against Black people, is causing tremendous pain, fear, and anger for many throughout our community. These events stem from centuries of systematic discrimination and subjugation of minorities in this country. We, the LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, stand with those calling for meaningful action, and we stand in solidarity with our Black community members calling for change. We unequivocally affirm that Black Lives Matter!
Many of the gains in equal rights over the years for our LGBTQ+ community have been made, in large part, as a result of the countless decades of protests and struggles of Black people across this country who were fighting for equality and civil rights.
The LGBTQ+ campus community will not sit on the sidelines witnessing these injustices targeted at our Black brothers, sisters, and siblings. Silence and inaction are not options. The realities of historic and ongoing systemic racism in our society demands that all of us, especially those with institutional support and power, actively engage in the difficult dialogues and meaningful actions to fight systemic racism and white supremacy. We need to individually and collectively strive toward becoming actively anti-racist.
The LGBTQ+ Advisory Council will take the following actions to support that goal:
- We will increase Black membership on the Council.
- We will increase our knowledge of the struggles of the LGBTQ+ Black community and LGBTQ+ Youth of Color, such as detailed in this GLSEN report, along with increasing our knowledge of local anti-racism work, such as work done by In Our Own Voices.
- We will partner with diversity/climate groups and task forces to support and advocate for actions that fight racism and promote a more inclusive culture on our campus.
- We will promote and participate in open dialogue that addresses institutionalized racism, minority disparities, and their intersection with LGBTQ+ Black people.
If you have concerns or ideas about how we could do more, please reach out to the LGBTQ+ Advisory Council's co-chairs.