Working Towards Inclusion

To the Rutgers Community:

The true test of an inclusive community is how we respond to struggle.

Diversity of voices, experiences, and perspectives means that we will not always share a point of view, but working towards inclusion means we seek to understand, we validate pain, and we offer respect in words and actions. This is how we build a beloved community. We work on behalf of each other and see our fates as linked.

The recent hate-fueled violence targeting Asian communities cannot be ignored. As President Holloway and the Chancellors reminded us all in their message affirming our Asian community, “Harm deliberately inflicted on members of any community is an offense felt by all people of conscience.” We must do more, however, than share the sense of offense. We must learn how to combat hate and that starts with unpacking its causes.

Join us this Friday, March 26 at noon to understand hate and racialization targeting Asian, Black, and Muslim communities; grapple with the intersection of hate and religion drawing on multiple faith communities - Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam; and learn how to respond with resilience and cultural humility. To learn more about the Unpacking Hate sessions and to register, visit diversity.rutgers.edu/unpackhate.

This webinar is one of many opportunities for intellectual engagement around diversity across the university. Check out the university diversity events calendar to learn about other opportunities to engage, reflect, and grow. Be sure to submit your event, so we can amplify it.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who completed the diversity strategic planning assessment survey. The results are encouraging and point to tremendous commitment and energy throughout our university community in charting an inclusive path forward. The diversity strategic planning process is an important step as the university moves from statements to action. To learn more about this shift, check out the short video below featuring President Holloway.

The work of building an inclusive academy will take all of us, so please join in. 

Sincerely,

Enobong (Anna) Branch
Senior Vice President for Equity
Professor