As the MCB GSA, we would like to reinforce the statement that Black lives matter – not just now, but always. We condemn the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and the many others that deserve their stories be told.

We see and hear the struggles of the Black community and stand in solidarity. To our Black MCBees, we support you and are here for you. We condemn any form of racism, oppression, and hatred. Inclusivity and diversity have been a core value of the MCB GSA since our mission statement was written, but we need to do more than just that to ensure equity and justice.

For our non-Black MCBees, we encourage learning more to understand the struggles of your peers, and also to use your voice and privilege to help out. We have compiled a list of resources (here) that can be used as a starting point for self-education, and for ways to get involved in the movement.

During this time, many of the stories being shared highlight the struggles of the Black community. But we believe that it is also important to amplify, share, and learn about the important contributions black voices bring to science and our communities, so we have included some ways to learn about those as well.

To our Black community: we imagine that everything happening right now is challenging to juggle – we are here to support you, and to mention that taking time to care for yourselves is important. We hope that the mental health resources included can be helpful.

Finally, we welcome any suggestions about what else we as an organization can do to fight racism and promote inclusivity here on campus.