Dear Colleagues,
As we start a new month, I reflect upon all that has transpired the past few months and particularly the last few days. My heart goes out to our colleagues, students and families both in the region and across the world – many of whom have been personally impacted by our current circumstances: a global pandemic, a declining economy and the ugliness of racism. I am struggling to find the words to communicate the solidarity I feel for and with our fellow men and women whose civil rights have been ignored for far too long. Even if I could find the words, they can’t begin to capture the tragedies of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless others who came before.
This morning I shared remarks at Madhu Viswanathan’s Virtual Subsistence Marketplaces Conference – speaking about our business school mission and the importance of entrepreneurial energy, diversity, equity, inclusion and opportunity for repairing the world. The session that followed included a poverty simulation with educators from around the world discussing how to engage students in these conversations. Last week, I also gave opening remarks for the AMA’s Marketing and Public Policy Conference, co-chaired by Dave Stewart, Mitch Hamilton and Myla Bui, where I focused on the importance of moral courage.
My comments about moral courage, creative confidence and the role of business in a global community resonated for me in ways I haven’t talked about before. We are all watching the angst of a nation play out in the media’s coverage of protests and violence around the country and in Los Angeles. Economic inequality and injustice characterize not only the developing world but here at home in our own divided nation.
I am reminded of the poetry of Maya Angelou, who wrote: “One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest.” The peaceful protests are showing the kind of courage that is waking up a country – freedom to have your voice heard is precious. And yet, the virtues Maya Angelou spoke of are missing in action. Too many of our brothers and sisters, by virtue of skin color, continue to experience a free society differently than the rest of us – a society that inherently lacks equality, equity, justice and fair treatment under the law. The pain, anger and distress point out major rifts in our society, leading us to a defining moment in time in which many of us are asking: When will we see profound and lasting changes? Where are our leaders who are of and for the people – all the people? As a business school, what role can business play to be part of the change?
As educators, our roles are in the preparation of the next generation of leaders. In our CBA mission, we aspire to develop students into business leaders with moral courage and creative confidence to be a force for good in the global community. What does this mean in this space? In this time? In this place? Never has our work been more meaningful as it is now – we need to help our students recognize the pain of inequality and find their own voices of conscience. We talk about what it means to be men and women for others given the Jesuit values of our institution. What does this mean in terms of our own community and how we can truly be with and for others? I know it will take more than words to help heal a nation and fix what is terribly broken. We all have more questions than answers and I don’t pretend to know the approach we should take to move forward. I do know, however, that we must be part of the community that engages in difficult conversations. We must work with our colleagues and students to find the tools necessary for meaningful dialogue, and discuss the strategies that lead to real change – ensuring that we live our values and a mission profoundly rooted in social justice.
We are at a crossroads in the greater community and desperately looking for authentic leadership that transforms and moves us forward – where deep respect for our fellow human beings is a reason for being. A system which fails any of our brothers and sisters, fails all of humanity. Anthropologist Margaret Mead advanced the idea that we should “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” I don’t know how that change will start or when. However, I do believe that multiple disciplines and diverse communities need to come together – to listen and learn with empathy; to engage with each other with respect; and to act with compassion and true moral courage. In these difficult times, let’s be there for each other and truly find our CBA strength in more meaningful ways than ever before – certainly in a way that is a force for good.
I hope you will join me and the LMU community on Wednesday, June 3 from 3:30-5p, when the Office of Intercultural Affairs hosts “Racism and Trauma in the Modern Moment.” The virtual forum will be a space to acknowledge the trauma of systemic violence against African Americans and will be facilitated by Prof. Stefan Bradley, Prof. Cheryl Grills, Henry Ward, and Megan Castillo ’19.
Sincerely,
Dayle
Dayle M. Smith, Ph.D.
Dean
Professor, Leadership and Organizational Behavior
LMU College of Business Administration
