Advisory committee

In the year 2020, the killing of George Floyd grabbed the attention of the nation. This horrific event led people from a diversity of ages, backgrounds and experiences to demand that institutions across the country work to acknowledge and eradicate their anti-Black racism and to create spaces and communities that are truly inclusive. As time progresses, we must ensure that our anti-racist work does not diminish.

Addressing the issue of racism remains as crucial as ever. As a university, we must recommit to and redouble our efforts for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and specifically working against racism and anti-Blackness. In 2015, President Cauce called on our community to “combat the racism and inequities, both individual and institutional, that persist here and throughout our society” when she established the UW’s Race and Equity Initiative. We must reaffirm this commitment, particularly in the face of the backlash we are experiencing nationally. We must reaffirm that anti-racism must be at the core of all we do if we are to dismantle the destructive and oppressive effects of hegemony and systemic racism, which are embedded in all U.S. social institutions, including our criminal justice system.

Each of us, in our unique position as part of the UW community, must lead with courage individually and collectively as DEI&B efforts are misunderstood and attacked nationally. At an individual level, we must commit to advancing anti-racist work in our spheres of influence while we take measures to protect ourselves and our work from the attacks. This involves deeply learning and feeling our connection to the history and impact of racial oppression in the United States. It also involves engaging in challenging conversations about the impact of racial prejudice and discrimination.

Collectively, we must work to create empowering spaces for dialogue and conversation about anti-Blackness and racism against other BIPOC communities. This involves making bold decisions that will advance UW toward a culture that values difference and belonging. It involves small and simple acts of care that deepen trust and strengthen community bonds. Every choice we make impacts us, from the people we hire on our teams to who we invite to have a voice at the table; if we are intentional, each daily decision can be anti-racist.

Our goal is to be strategic and creative in our anti-racist work in the face of the national backlash. The challenge before us is a big one, but it is not new.

We must step forward boldly and courageously.

Rickey Hall
Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity
University Diversity Officer