Activism

Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The land we work on is the original homelands of Wahpekute, Anishinabewaki, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) Nations. We honor and respect the Indigenous peoples who were forcibly removed from, and who are still connected to this territory. It is our responsibility to own our part in their continued displacement, incorporate Indigenous knowledge in our work, and establish meaningful, reciprocal partnerships with Indigeous communities.1

We take this opportunity to commit ourselves to the fight against the systems of oppression that have dispossessed Indigenous people of their lands and denied their rights to self-determination, work that is essential to human rights work across the world.2

We are committed to advocating for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), DREAMers, immigrants, international students and scholars, women, LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, first-generation college students, and people from low socioeconomic statuses and disadvantaged backgrounds, and at the intersection of these and all other underrepresented identities.

We recognize that our group is inherently and implicitly biased and that the academic system is racist and biased against underrepresented groups. We acknowledge that we will often fail while fighting these oppressive systems, but we commit to doing our best and will not give up. We will challenge ourselves and others to overcome these biases to foster an inclusive and welcoming culture in academia and beyond.

The actions we will take: