At WiSE, we stand up for equity and inclusion. Today, we are faced with multiple challenges – a pandemic, economic insecurity, and brutal incidents of racism and abuse of peaceful protesters – in addition to our daily work addressing intersectionality and gender bias and supporting the persistence and excellence of women in STEM. We stand against the injustice of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others caused by the brutality perpetrated by those who pledge to protect and serve. It is clear, these actions impact all of us.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” This quote is carved in the north wall of the National Monument to Reverend Dr. King. America must live those words and not just honor them in stone.

Now is the time for our community to support one another as we work harder at building an inclusive and equitable campus. We know that to continue on this journey to an equitable and hopeful future, now made more complicated by the pandemic, we must first take care of ourselves and each other. We – the faculty and staff of WiSE – want you to know that we are here and ask, “What can we do for you today?”

Photo credit: Pennlive.com