Together we MUST make a difference

Dear Albright community,

Recent tragic events in our country have left our hearts heavy and our minds reeling with questions about how such unspeakable acts of systemic discrimination, ignorance and intolerance continue to occur in the world today. At Albright, our first institutional priority is to create a thriving, inclusive and fully participating community. As such, we must be better prepared to speak out and take action in the face of these atrocities. Indifference, and even confused silence, allow hatred and intolerance to grow.

I’d like to thank Chaplain Ibi for his heartfelt, humbling and profound message to our community yesterday. It is simply unfair that so many in our country must live in this reality. At Albright College, we have a commitment to inclusivity and equity, one that is encapsulated by the Latin phrase Veritas et Justitia — Truth and Justice — that is emblazoned on our college seal. This phrase affirms our belief that the search for knowledge should not be separate from the search for wise and just solutions in human affairs and in the stewardship of the natural world. Combining Truth with Justice calls us to honor, nurture, and celebrate human diversity in all its forms, and to reject whatever may negate or endanger the dignity and worth of the human spirit.

Our mission as an institution comprised of a diverse community of learners, has never been clearer. As an institution for higher education, we have a responsibility to take this message beyond the boundaries of our own community, and to serve as leaders and role models in our country.

It is our responsibility as a college, as a community, and as people, to stand together in the face of hatred and bias, to fight ignorance and intolerance, to say no to apathy and indifference, to speak out, and to offer profound compassion for all who live in fear that the color of their skin, gender identity, ethnicity or religion makes them a target of hate. It is simply not enough to do no harm; we must be anti-racist.

So how do we move from being shocked and empathetic to being actively anti-racist? Well, it will take some work and some learning for all of us. I hope that you will join the virtual gathering that Chaplain Ibi is planning on June 12 to discuss how our Albright College community can contribute to social justice, racial healing, and reconciliation (view event recording here). In the meantime, I attach here some links to articles that provide some insight into how we can better take anti-racist action. I hope you will take a moment to read and consider how we can be better advocates for racial justice.

I also want to reaffirm Albright’s support and encouragement of the expression of anger and sadness for these atrocities, and the fight for change, through peaceful protest.

As Chaplain Ibi said, “Together, we can make a lasting difference,” and together, we will!

Very truly yours,

Karen A. Campbell

Acting President
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dean of the Faculty
P. Kenneth Nase Chair of Biology