"However, it is also clear that more can and needs to be done, both on our campus and in our society."
Welcome to the second edition of Action, a publication focused on racial justice and equity at Bridgewater State University.
Feedback following the inaugural issue reflected just how engaged members of the BSU community are with the goal of keeping racial justice and equity central to the institution’s mission.
The importance of continuing this work was made starkly evident with the recent brutal beating and murder of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, at the hands of a group of police officers from the Memphis Police Department. It is tragically evident that the nation continues to repeat the same racist atrocities of the past, recalling our nation’s dark history of slavery, Jim Crow, spatial segregation and mass incarceration. As the scholar and civil rights icon Angela Davis reminds us, “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.”
Indeed, constant attention is absolutely essential to this work. The stories below detail just some of the many ongoing efforts to transform the university, and we can all share in the pride of what has been accomplished to date. However, it is also clear that more can and needs to be done, both on our campus and in our society. This publication demonstrates and documents true momentum on several related fronts and opens a window on these important efforts.
To keep track of the many changes and initiatives in the area of racial justice and equity, we are introducing a new feature titled “Updates,” several brief stories that will inform readers about work underway at BSU to create a more equitable institution.
Finally, we want this publication to be inclusive. Toward that aim, we invite you to submit story ideas focused on BSU’s racial justice and equity efforts. Feel free to email your suggestions and feedback to action@bridgew.edu.
Thank you for contributing to this important work. We hope you enjoy this issue.
Karim Ismaili, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost