Dear Silver Community,
On April 20, 2021, a jury found that Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, and on April 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to fight Asian American discrimination. Our hearts go out to every family member that is impacted by antiracist violence. However, the dehumanization and murder of BIPOC people continue. Transformative change is necessary within all systems, especially higher education institutions. We at Silver must challenge our predisposition towards neutrality, color-blindness, and other racist beliefs that hinder our just decision-making processes. We need to embed an equity-minded approach that realigns our individual and collective responsibility to become more inclusive and more responsive to marginalized groups. We must continue to deconstruct racism and implement solutions to remove barriers that maintain the status quo and uphold white privilege. Without structural reforms, transformational change will not be sustainable. I ask you to lend your voice and support to build equity into the core of Silver. More than ever before, greater urgency is needed to acknowledge, respect, and build a more inclusive community.
Richeleen Dashield
Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion