Statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2019
On Monday, Jan. 21, our nation commemorates the life and legacy of a transformational leader. In a life cut too short, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. relentlessly pursued racial equality and justice and made indelible gains for civil rights in this country. I’m excited to note that the University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion once again will honor Dr. King this year with the 36th annual University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill MLK Week of Celebration. The theme, “Rise Above!,” is inspired by Dr. King’s belief that:
We are challenged to rise above the narrow confines of our individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
Events during the UNC celebration include:
– The 2019 MLK University/Community Banquet on Sunday, Jan. 20, featuring a keynote address by Reginald Hildebrand, retired associate professor of African, African-American and diaspora studies at UNC and an advocate for preserving and sharing African-American heritage; and
– The MLK Keynote Lecture by Ben Jealous, former president and chief executive officer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, on Thursday, Jan. 24, in Memorial Hall.
The full schedule of events is here.
Dr. King was a beacon of hope in a time of upheaval and uncertainty. As I reflect on his life and call to rise above “individualistic concerns,” I am struck by parallels to the broad concerns and tensions our country is facing and to the intense emotions our community is feeling with the complete removal of the confederate statute known as Silent Sam and its uncertain future on this campus.
As the Gillings School leadership team asserted in our Dean’s Council Consensus Statement (PDF) on the Board of Governors’ decision regarding the statue, there is no place on our campus for symbols of racism and exclusion – or the acceptance of the larger issues that they represent.
We are reminded continually of the reprehensible truth that the lived experiences of members of our community reflect those larger issues – and we hear you.
We hear and recognize that our students still face fear and intimidation in classrooms and communities.
We hear and recognize that our staff members still face intimidation and fear of retaliation in their workspaces.
We hear and recognize that members of our faculty still face unpleasant interactions with colleagues who choose to remain ignorant and/or silent about social justice issues.
We rededicate ourselves to the values and vision Dr. King represented and lived and died to achieve. We will quicken our strides along the path to inclusive excellence at the Gillings School.
A climate of inclusive excellence, in which everyone feels welcomed, wanted and supported, is our goal. Fundamental to achieving this goal is to support the recruitment and retention of a diverse group of faculty, staff and students, without whom inclusion is impossible. Such a climate is characterized not by lofty prose about diversity, but rather by the establishment of policies and practices that support the elimination of barriers – barriers such as institutionalized racism and sexism and achievement gaps between majority and marginalized populations. If you have not yet done so, I encourage you to read the Gillings School Diversity Statement.
The climate we envision cannot be created magically by me or by any other member of the Gillings School’s leadership team. It is fashioned and maintained by each and every one of us, working in our respective areas in inclusive ways, exhibiting inclusive behavior and leadership whether we are leading from the front, the back or in the middle.
The time is now to answer Dr. King’s challenge and address “the broader concerns of all humanity.”
The Gillings School leadership team — with recommendations and input from students, staff and faculty — has made gains toward righting the wrongs experienced by members of our community, and we are devoted to the continued pursuit of inclusive excellence.
We have made progress:
– Our Diversity and Inclusion Working Group developed a strategic plan framework for inclusive excellence. The group has organized numerous educational events for the Gillings School community over the past few years, and more information about the group’s next phase, including a new name and new membership opportunities, will be available soon.
– Last week, I co-led a Silent Sam Action Session, during which we heard specific, actionable ideas from our Gillings School community to ensure that the statue does not return to campus and that ours becomes a more inclusive, diverse and equitable environment. Co-leaders at the event were Dr. Kurt Ribisl, professor and chair of health behavior; Elizabeth French, assistant dean for strategic initiatives; and Yesenia Merino, doctoral candidate. A report from that meeting, including planned next steps, as well as a survey for additional input, is now available (PDF). The Dean’s Council already has begun to review the recommended actions, with an eye toward feasibility and timelines, and will provide a response to the entire Gillings School community by March 8.
– Racial equity trainings, coordinated by faculty members in our own Master of Public Health concentration on Health Equity, Social Justice and Human Rights, in conjunction with our North Carolina Institute for Public Health, are scheduled for Feb. 15 and April 18.
– On Friday, Feb. 22, we will host the Minority Health Conference, the largest and longest running student-led health conference in the country. The conference celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with the timely theme, “Advocacy and Change.”
As more information becomes available on these events, workshops and plans, please consider what part you will play in helping us ensure that our school is a diverse, inclusive, civil and welcoming community. As Dr. King said:
People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.
Increasing our individual and collective knowledge of issues of social justice and equity, and being able to communicate with each other openly and effectively, is crucial for an inclusive environment at the Gillings School — and that’s our broadest concern.
