From the Presidential Initiative
VOL. 116 NO. 1
Editor Jeff Hagan ’86 Senior Designer Ryan Sprowl
Heeding the Call to Justice
Designer Nicole Slatinsky
president carmen twillie ambar created the presidential initiative for racial equity and Diversity at a historic moment that compels us to stand boldly as agents of change and proponents of constructive dialogue. In true Oberlin tradition, it also offers us an opportunity to prepare our students to lead conversations focused on promoting social justice. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others remind us that the world needs people across the country to challenge the persistent injustice, violence, and institutional racism that Black people navigate daily. The uptick in violence against Black people and Asians in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and harsh governmental policies point to the urgencies of our time. Obies have historically heeded a call to justice. The Presidential Initiative (PI) requires that we look at our community to understand better the inequalities that lurk, hidden and in plain view, on campus. We need to communicate now, more than ever, that Black students and all students of color know that they matter at Oberlin. Institutional inequalities can only be destroyed through a systemic approach and candid selfassessment. Through work with the Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA), which Oberlin helped found, the PI is conducting the first in a cycle of three annual surveys that will help us look inward at Oberlin’s practices, procedures, and campus climate. The first survey will focus on students, with ensuing years connecting with faculty and staff. The ongoing process will help us identify what we are doing well and address the areas in which we need to prioritize racial equity and diversity to make Oberlin an attractive destination for students, staff, and faculty. Leading the Presidential Initiative has evoked strong personal reactions for us. As a Black woman and Africana studies scholar born in the U.S. to Caribbean parents, Professor Gadsby has devoted her professional life to researching and teaching about the ways Black people resist inequality. The charge of the PI resonates with her deeply and is a logical extension of her life’s work. It gives her a sense of optimism for Oberlin as well as for the opportunities that people of color could enjoy on other liberal arts college campuses. For Dean Quillen, the goals and vision of the PI align not only with his personal values, but with his professional commitments and aspirations as well. For him, removing barriers to equity and supporting the thriving—intellectual, artistic, personal, and spiritual—of all members of his community is an imperative. The growth ensures greater equity and is the most significant way to ensure the lasting excellence of Oberlin and the well-being of our city, region, and world. Others find their own personal satisfaction out of serving the PI. For Andre Douglas, area coordinator for multicultural and identity-based communities, the PI demonstrates a commitment to equity. “The work of the commission has begun to show people the need to evaluate how their work impacts equity and the possible success of our students, especially Black students at Oberlin,” he said. “My goals are to ensure accountability when it comes to the work of the commission and to also push the boundaries of what we hope to accomplish.”
Photography Projects Manager Yvonne Gay
william quillen Co-chair of the Presidential Initiative and Dean of the Conservatory
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Vice President for Communications Ben Jones ’96 The Oberlin Alumni Magazine (ISSN 0029-7518), founded in 1904, is published by Oberlin’s Office of Communications and distributed to alumni, parents, and friends of Oberlin College. EDITORIAL OFFICE
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Send changes to Oberlin College, 173 W. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074
TA N YA R O S E N -J O N E S ’ 97
meredith gadsby Co-chair of the Presidential Initiative and Associate Professor, Department of Africana Studies and Comparative American Studies
Director, Print and Publications Kelly Viancourt