Published: 06/09/2020
Gannon University Coming Together for Action Against Racial Injustice
Over the past few weeks as we have seen protests and demands for racial justice sweep across the United States and the world, many of us have been wholeheartedly listening, learning, and asking the questions: What can I do? What can our communities do? What’s next?
We have pledged solidarity with our siblings of color, but we also know many of our Gannon Family are eagerly seeking actionable steps forward to cultivate meaningful change. While individual action and change of heart is the starting point, we recognize the power of collective action; of a community coming together to listen, learn, reflect, and act.
With this in mind, our Gannon Mission and Ministry team will be inviting our colleagues to come together to discuss how we can intentionally, cohesively, and actively move forward in addressing racial injustice in the coming days, across the next academic year, and beyond. As we continue conversations with our colleagues, students, alumni, and communities, what follows won’t be the vision or plan of just one office or person, but a plan infused with gifts, energy, and voices from across our Gannon Family.
We know many members of our community are already making plans and taking action. The conversations ahead will include listening to what is planned, discerning gaps, and identifying immediate next steps. Possible pathways forward will include a variety of touch-points, methods, and engagement opportunities (including small group dialogues, reading groups, trainings, events, and advocacy).
One immediate action item we identified is sharing educational resources. We are working to create a resource page (a collection of resources for education, listening, and action around anti-racism, racial justice, and more). This page will be alive with the voices of our community as well – since we know that many of you have great resources to share, too. Visit the ongoing document here.
This has been a time for listening to the experiences of our Black brothers and sisters, but it is also a time for action. We are ready for the honest, vulnerable, and difficult conversations ahead of us. And we know our imperfect actions, rooted in love, are better than inaction.
If you have immediate thoughts, ideas, or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out – our Mission and Ministry team is glad to be a connection point for the conversations and movement forward.
Gannon Center for Social Concerns and Global Exploration: cscge@gannon.edu
Gannon Campus Ministry: heckman004@gannon.edu