Dear all,
The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and countless others has kicked off national conversations about antiblack racism in America. Across the country, and in the state of Maine, citizens are daily exercising their constitutional right to assemble, to protest, and to demonstrate solidarity with black and brown Americans in the fight for justice, dignity, and equal treatment. President Cummings recently issued a statement that included: 鈥淯SM stands with those committed to dismantling racial inequities. Racism not only limits 鈥� it also kills. To stand silent in this moment is to stand with racism. Please stand as an anti-racist with USM.鈥�
In these urgent times, it can be daunting to ask oneself, 鈥渨hat can I do?鈥� I鈥檓 writing this letter to Honors students, faculty, and staff in the spirit of shared inquiry and solidarity.
An important part of the work of dismantling racism is self-education. As Ibrahm X. Kendi teaches us, becoming antiracist begins with the self: 鈥渢he movement from racist to antiracist is always ongoing–it requires understanding and snubbing racism based on biology, ethnicity, body, culture, behavior, color, space, and class. And beyond that, it means standing ready to fight at racism鈥檚 intersections with other bigotries鈥� (10). You, too, can engage in this work.
If you鈥檙e looking for ways to get involved, I wrote a letter for the USM Foundation that includes interactive challenges, films, shows, podcasts, social media accounts to follow, places to donate your time and/or money, etc. You can check it out .
If you are eager to work on antiracist advocacy and scholarship in an Honors context, I encourage you to join the and the (I am a member of both organizations and can vouch for their excellence). The National Society for Minorities in Honors is hosting a on October 22-23, which is a great opportunity to engage with students, faculty, and staff from across the country who are invested in this work. More information is available here:
In closing, I want to emphasize that this work isn鈥檛 about checking off a task on your to do list or achieving an antiracist badge. The goal is to become an ally. If you鈥檙e white, do the work yourself. Don鈥檛 ask people of color to do it for you. Don鈥檛 be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable, and they are also how we learn, grow, and change for the better. As Ijeoma Oluo writes, 鈥淭he beauty of anti-racism is that you don鈥檛 have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it鈥檚 the only way forward.鈥�
As always, I welcome the opportunity to extend this conversation. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or to any of your Honors faculty at any time.
All best,
Rebecca Nisetich, Ph.D., Honors Program Director & Assistant Professor