Statement Of Black Lives Matter
San José-Evergreen Community College District expresses its profound sorrow in the wake of the countless individuals of color who have been the victims of systemic and institutional violence.
Recent, high-profile incidents have brought new attention to a long history of deadly racist violence in the United States and have forced individuals and institutions to confront the realities of racism within their own spheres of influence.
As a District, we recognize that in order to achieve our goals—to be student-focused every day, to be a great District to work for, and to uphold our values of Opportunity, Equity, and Social Justice—we must add our voice to the Black Lives Matter Movement.
We unequivocally condemn institutional and systemic racism in all its forms and add our voice to the growing chorus of individuals and organizations calling for racial justice and meaningful actions and reforms.
We also fully recognize that systemic racism reveals itself not only through physical violence captured on video, but through various overt and covert systemic inequities that have been propagated throughout history through denying Black and other communities of color equal access to education, housing, employment, health care, environmental quality, and other resources needed to live full and healthy lives. This lack of opportunities has stunted intergenerational wealth, led to persistent negative public health consequences, and continues to challenge the mental health and well-being of Black communities.
It is imperative that we act both individually and collectively to address these persistent inequities. It is incumbent upon all of us to do our part to eradicate the scourge of racism from our educational institutions, our communities, and our nation.
We must also continue to be intentional and deliberate with our words and our actions to protect against the harm of implicit biases and systemic oppression as we stand in solidarity against structural racism and recommit ourselves, and our District, to systemic transformation in order to dismantle unjust policies and procedures. We have the responsibility to do and be better by learning, listening, and acting for change for a more racially just and equitable world.
Board Resolutions
- Justice for George Floyd, Condemnation of Institutionalized Police Brutality, and Action Steps
- Calling for Solidarity Against Structural Racism
- Reaffirming Our Commitment to Student Success for Black Students