Next week, the Golden Flashes community will begin to honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ºÚÁÏÍø will host the annual celebration, which will include a variety of commemorative programming. This year, CNN political analyst and former South Carolina state Rep. Bakari Sellers will be the keynote speaker for the virtual event at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21.
And while we take this time to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., we are also renewing our efforts to confront the issues of systemic racism and injustice that he fought against.
After two incidents involving racist messages left last fall on the Rock on the Kent Campus, ºÚÁÏÍø President Todd Diacon wrote in a message to the Golden Flashes community that the university will continue to be a part of the anti-racism conversation.
“At ºÚÁÏÍø, our core values of respect and kindness for all demand that we step up to become part of the conversation that leads to a solution that will dismantle the systemic racism that has plagued our communities throughout history, and our university all too recently.
As an institution that promotes learning, discovery and global citizenship under the canopy of diversity, equity and peaceful coexistence, we must do more.
We must do better.â€
Below is a list of university resources, which are available year round to all in an effort to continue the conversation of equity, diversity and inclusion.
ºÚÁÏÍø’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Established in 2009, DEI has been devoted to increasing diverse representation and cultivating a safe, equitable and empowering community.
DEI has many resources for students, faculty and staff to access virtually, including:
Find a full list of resources on DEI’s resource page.
Anti-Racism Task Force
The Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF) works to deepen efforts to make ºÚÁÏÍø an anti-racism institution. In April 2021, it will report on the challenges and barriers that students, faculty and staff have faced at the university, paying particular attention to anti-Black racism which has impeded the success of Black students, faculty and staff.
The ARTF began with a focus on anti-Black racism, and future initiatives will explore other forms of racism.
ºÚÁÏÍø’s Student MultiCultural Center (SMC)
Located in the Kent Student Center, the SMC provides mentoring, guidance, and training for all students and faculty. SMC celebrates all cultures and has created student groups that provide needed support and resources.
Also within the work of the SMC, various groups and resources are available to the university community:
ºÚÁÏÍø is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. We hope you find these resources helpful in that commitment. Remember, Flashes take care of Flashes!