Dear Notre Dame Family and Club Leaders,
We seek change — in our alumni efforts, our campus, and in this country. But true change begins in our hearts. Proximity breeds empathy and distance breeds suspicion. And reading this most recent petition online, from a collection of young Black alumni, this quote rings true and has now garnered the endorsement of more than 10,000 people, a number that continues to grow. This petition offers insight into the negative experiences of Black students on our campus, which should be embarrassing to us all, considering Fr. Sorin’s goal for ND to be “one of the most powerful means of doing good in this country.” Unfortunately, the same challenges apply for our Hispanic, Asian Pacific, and Native American students and alumni. While not every member of the campus community is guilty of engendering these negative experiences, lack of corrective action is unacceptable. We propose that Clubs be incentivized for driving diversity outreach and racial justice, and also propose a “no tolerance” system for unjust behavior.
Eight years ago, NDAA created the Diversity Council: |
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What are you or your Club doing differently to welcome diverse alums to your local ND table?
Capitalize on the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has fostered in our world. Use this time to virtually “learn, lament, and then lead” going forward. Make a statement of support for our Black alumni, then take action. These are hard times that merit soft hearts.
Do some or all of the following: |
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The status quo is not acceptable. Our Diversity Regional Directors are your resources. We connect with the Club Diversity Coordinator and share programming ideas from the Diversity Boards, to attract more diverse alumni involvement. But without relationships, nothing will change. |
What will you do?... What will you fight for? |