We would like to acknowledge that this is a working document that will grow and evolve, as we grow, evolve, and learn. The Anti-Racism Taskforce and the Advising & Career Services (ACS) community welcomes all feedback, questions, or concerns regarding these demands, or other practices. Please contact us at acsantiracism@pdx.edu.
Anti-Racism Statement
Anti-Black racism is a “system of beliefs and practices that attack, erode, and limit the humanity of Black people” (Carruthers, 2018, p. 26). Anti-Black racism is deeply ingrained in every facet of our nation, including our Higher Education system and thus pervades all aspects of the system and culture of Portland State University. Higher Education was not conceptualized with Black Folx in mind; it was made for a mostly homogenous group of white, middle class, Christian men (Green, 2020). Though we have certainly progressed from the colonial college, the foundations still remain in our curriculum, our support systems, our funding models, and our faculty and staff. PSU is no different, but can show itself to be a leader in tackling the indoctrination of white supremacy in our education system. While we are focusing now on anti-Black racism, we are also doing so with the knowledge that Anti-Black racism impacts Indigenous Folx and other People of Color; this work will lay a foundation allowing us to transition to a more holistic approach that combats institutionalized racism and oppression wherever it appears.
Historically, PSU has created a facade of commitment to Black students, staff, and faculty under the guise of 'diversity and equity.’ The reality is that Black students, faculty, and staff are not supported and are hurting. Black first-time, full-time Freshman students are graduating at a rate of only 40% in six-years, and it is not because of low academic achievement (Jackson et al., 2017, p. 10-12). In Fall 2016 only 2.9% of university employees were Black identified and only 4 Black identified faculty members held continuous appointments; and this number has been declining (Jackson et al., 2017, p. 37). Clearly, at a school that touts itself to be a haven for Black students, faculty, and staff, much work needs to be done to earn this moniker. Black faculty, staff, and students want “to be present, visible, feel welcome, and be whole in [their] work at this university” (Jackson et al., 2017, p.35). Though we as an institution have failed in amplifying Black voices and responding to the needs of Black staff, faculty, and students, we are poised with an opportunity to initiate real change and respond to the needs of our community.
This is an opportunity to prevent additional trauma and to support Black wellness and Black lives, rather than pay lip service to the values we purport to uphold. This is a call to action. Black people are still fighting for their lives and as advocates, we need to fight alongside them and, when necessary, for them. So many of us carry a multitude of different privileges. With these privileges comes power. We need to use this power to support our Black faculty, staff, students, friends, neighbors, loved ones, and the folx around the world we don't know but who deserve to live unburdened by racism. This means decentering whiteness, amplifying Black voices, and collectively using our knowledge, skills, abilities, and privilege to mitigate harm and continued racial trauma.
What follows is an abridged list of demands directed at ourselves. View the full document.
Demands of Advising & Career Services staff and leadership
We demand that you are anti-racist.
We demand from ourselves, our colleagues, our leadership, and the university to properly support anti-racist efforts and the dismantling of white supremacy within academia and campus life, including, but not limited to, financial support, dedicated salaried time, and the ability to listen to and uplift the voices of BIPOC students, faculty, and staff, throughout the process.
As part of this Task Force’s commitment to listening to and uplifting the voices of Black students, faculty, and staff, who have been speaking out against oppression for years, the first section of our demands are in direct response to recommendations made by the African American Black African Task Force Report (Jackson et al., 2017). We thank the authors for the tremendous amount of work they put into the report and for carving a path for us to address anti-Black racism and white supremacy on campus and in Advising & Career Services.