Members of the task forces can bear witness to the challenging conversations had over the course of creating this plan. What we have heard over and over from minoritized members of our community, especially people of color, is that their needs and stories have always been de-centered in favor of what is comfortable for dominant groups. Our institution exists in a local and national context where people of color have long been disenfranchised and the last few years has seen a rise in activism for equity on college campuses and in communities across the nation. Additionally, we are in a time of rapid demographic change fueled by a growth in people of color and a corresponding decline in white people. We are also living at a time where hard won civil rights are being rolled back for many amidst a rise in hate groups and hateful rhetoric. We work with a generation of students that is very interested in social justice and prioritizes racial equity. Finally, over the past year, RWU has been a member of the Leading for Change Diversity Consortium and the 24-institution group has urged member campuses to intentionally focus on racial justice and racial equity and many national higher education bodies and corporate entities are leaning afresh into these matters.
The convergence of these historic and current, local and national factors have caused us to intentionally choose to center racial equity in our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. It is critically important to note that this approach does not seek to marginalize, ignore or underserve other minoritized groups, or indeed any member of our community. I am a cis woman, an immigrant, temporarily able bodied, a mother and a Vice President, as well as black, so my daily life is intersectional and influenced by my multiple identities and experiences and how they interact.
We continue to deepen our support of our Queer and Trans community and all women on campus; our Queer and Trans Resource and Advocacy Center and Women’s Affinity Initiatives are evidence of this. RWU has long excelled in our support of students with disabilities, as well as in our efforts to support the various faith communities on campus. Our University College has a powerful record of innovating to increase access to learners that have been historically marginalized in higher education including low income students, adult learners, veterans and English language learners, a mission our Bristol campus has begun to fully embrace as we have implemented new aid and outreach strategies over the last few years to increase access for low income families. Additionally, centering racial equity does not mean we neglect the priority to become a campus with a critical mass of international students.
All of these great efforts, and more, will continue. What we are saying is this: Race will be the way in, rather than a marginal conversation. There are people of color in every minoritized group and they usually fare worse than their white peers. Racial and ethnic communities are also not monoliths: there is an incredible amount of complexity within and across every racial and ethnic group. In a nutshell, we will do intersectional racial equity work and ensure that all efforts to support minoritized folks make room for the ways that racial identity exacerbates or mitigates the experience of minoritization.
It is also important to note that contrary to popular opinion, a focus on racial equity is not just a conversation about people of color. Race is very much a construction and at the center of that is the invention of whiteness and the ideologies, systems, structures and institutions that uphold it. The process of interrogating these matters can be challenging, but I believe we can do it in ways that honor our collective humanity. This work is not about reinforcing static and binary narratives, or about seeking villain and victim, but rather about staring into the complexity of human history, grappling with its impact in our present day, and intentionally seeking to build a just community.5
We know that this approach will be new for some and we recognize that it will make some uncomfortable and feel unfair to others. Let me acknowledge that we are taking a risk as we step out in this way. I invite you into the conversation to unpack and explore the reasons we have made this decision. I encourage you to get involved and see what kind of progress we can make over the next several years with your help, courage and engagement.
Ame Lambert
Roger Williams University, 2019