Issue link: http://ncumarketing.uberflip.com/i/1293955
8 UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION ANNABELLE GOODWIN, PHD DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION In late August and mid-September, the University Diversity Committee hosted our inaugural book club meetings. Our first meeting included 39 participants, our second included 16 participants, and the third and fourth had 25 and 28, respectively. The hosts and participants were a mix of students, faculty, and academic leaders. The conversations were honest, engaging, and community building. During the first evening, one participant shared that the group was feeding her soul. For this book study, we chose Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. A very significant theme of this book is the injustices connected to race. Unfortunately, it felt especially timely to talk about racial injustice and the oppression of Black people in the United States as we reflect on the recent shooting of unarmed Jacob Blake in front of his young sons a couple of days before our meeting. Additionally, we reflected on the ongoing pursuit of justice for Breonna Taylor and others. We know that conversations about injustice and oppression can be painful and raw, but we also believe that there is so much strength, resilience, and power in this story and in Stevenson's work. After reflecting on the first two meetings, we felt it was important to note that it's common for white people to experience guilt and shame when talking about racial injustice. We encourage anyone who feels this way not to let your guilt and discomfort stop you from standing against injustice. As Kendi describes, the goal isn't to be "not racist," but to be anti-racist. Being anti-racist is an active, vigilant, and engaged position. Those of us pursuing this work must read deeply and listen closely, and not ask our Black friends and colleagues to shoulder the burden of leading us through it all. If you have more questions about how to engage more, please reach out directly. We will convene again in the future to discuss another book. We invite you to join us. Please keep an eye on The Commons for more information. NCU HAPPENINGS | FALL 2020