Racial Equity and Social Justice

protest

For fifty years our commitment to social justice and inclusion has been the bedrock of our mission and purpose. We believe that Cambridge College has contributed to helping to create a more equitable and inclusive world, but more work is still needed. We envision a society that promotes the health, wellbeing, and empowerment of all peoples. We recognize that particular attention needs to be paid to oppressed groups, those most affected by institutional racism and an economic system that prioritizes the profits of a few over the wellbeing of many.

Together we will continue to stand against the systemic racism and inequities that pervades black and brown communities in social, health, education, and workforce development and will strive for the liberation of all.

Under the leadership of the Office of the President and with guidance from our inaugural Equity & Inclusion Committee, Cambridge College will create and implement a series of events, discussions and resources to educate and inform our community about systemic racism, social and economic inequities and related concepts to heal our communities and the world.

A Message from President Jackson

June 1, 2020 Message

June 1, 2020

Dear Colleagues:

Over the past week, we have awakened every morning and gone to bed every night, as a nation in pain. As individuals and as a community, we are searching for ways to handle our pain in the face of yet another unjust, inexcusable and tragic loss of life. The senseless death of George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of a police officer has triggered a week of protest and outrage in cities across the country. We should not accept that what we have witnessed over the past week is normal for America.

There are no easy answers, there is no simple advice for where we go from here as a community and as a nation. But one thing we know is true, we must address and eradicate the issues of racism, injustice, inequity, unequal opportunity, bias, discrimination and bigotry, and racially targeted violence in our nation. The impact of injustice is revealed in senseless violence such as this, the disparities of health outcomes due to COVID 19, and the disproportionate economic impact on low income communities and people of color.

I ask that each and every one of us, as members of the Cambridge College community, remember and uphold the historical principles on which this institution was founded. We were founded nearly 50 years ago on the principle of social justice, determined to open the doors of opportunity to those "for whom those opportunities may have been limited or denied." Ours is a diverse community that values the voices and engagement of all of our members - respecting differences in race, ethnicity, gender identity, national origin, economic status and religious beliefs. In such a diverse community we learn and experience the great value of embracing and respecting these differences. We must carry these lessons into our lives and communities outside of the walls of Cambridge College.

I ask and implore each and every one of us to be a part of the solution. I ask that we search our individual hearts and souls to determine how we can "be the change" that we want to see in achieving social justice in our society.

I ask that we support one another during these heartbreaking and difficult times. I have received messages of stress, anxiety, and helplessness on how we deal with this complexity of stresses that are impacting all of us. I encourage us to reach out to one another - for students to reach out to faculty and advisors and the Office of Student Affairs; for faculty to reach out to your Deans and our Office of Academic Affairs; for employees to reach out to your supervisor or executive administrator or the Office of Human Resources. We are here to talk to you, to hear your needs and to determine how we can provide greater support for one another. We don't have all of the answers but we have the commitment to help one another.

I have awakened every morning and gone to bed every night in pain with the images of George Floyd, and too many others like him, etched in my mind. I find strength in you and the mission that brings us together as a community. I find hope in the belief that our unified commitment will fuel the transformation to justice that our nation urgently needs.

In closing, let us not forget the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.

With warm regards,

Deborah C. Jackson

President
Cambridge College

The Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative (RESJI)

Overview

This initiative will address the societal challenges of systemic racism, social injustice and inequity. A central theme of this initiative is to cultivate a diverse and equitable community to dismantle racism through an ongoing process of education and self-assessment.

Our commitment to this work is rooted in the belief that all members of our community are valued and must work collaboratively to further the social justice mission of the College; and to nurture an environment that embraces diverse backgrounds, cultures, ideas and perspectives that contribute to a rich learning experience.

Mission

Cambridge College is committed to instilling a collective impact of racial equity, diversity and social justice where equal opportunities and equitable outcomes exist for all. Through the implementation of the Pillars of Impact we will support a diverse, equitable and inclusive community that nurtures respect, understanding and belonging.

The RESJI Framework

The Framework consists of Four Pillars of Impact where the collective efforts of the committee members that make up each of the four pillars will focus on how the College will dismantle systemic racism and social inequities to create a culture of inclusion, respect and understanding.

#1: Governance

Ensure that our Board composition reflects our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and the College’s commitment to racial and social equity and justice in its actions.
Sustain the College’s commitment to diversity equity and inclusion among students, staff, faculty and trustees.

Committee Membership

Deborah Jackson, Chair
Jacqui Conrad, Co-Chair
John Spinard, Co-Chair

#2: Workforce, DEI & Supplier Diversity

Create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce by advancing a culture of belonging through thoughtful recruitment, equitable compensation, promotions and opportunities, and nurturing inclusive and supportive teams and teamwork.
Utilize tools and resources to access our current status and progress toward goals for diversity and inclusion.
Ensure that everyone in the College has the same opportunities to succeed, to contribute, to be recognized, to be equitably compensated, and to achieve their full potential in the workplace.
Leverage our purchasing power to engage women and minority-owned businesses.
Be intentional in our procurement practices to engage and encourage/require vendors to be more responsive to and to show evidence of DEI in their companies.

Committee Membership

Lauretta Siggers, Chair
Maria Vasallo, Co-Chair
Stephanie Funderburg, Co-Chair
Dr. FeLisa Albert (Academic Success Coach/Senior Faculty)
Jessica Burgos (Business Operations Manager)
Rita Clemons (Regional Center Director, CC CA)
Amber Coren (HR Generalist, HR)
Michael Dickinson (Director of Undergraduate Academic Advising, Senior Instructor SOUS)
Patrice Hogan (Assistant Director of Institutional Research and Analytics)
Blair Ross (Admissions Counselor)
Sherly Veras, (Digital Marketing Specialist)
Anthony Viola (Library Director, CELT)

#3: Academic, Faculty and Students

Inculcate the concepts and practices of racial equity and justice into our academic programming, including faculty training and supporting student events, workshops and resources.
Re-examine curricula that unconsciously reinforces and endorses systemic racism.
Create and offer academic programs that require cultural competency to equip our faculty and students with facts and data grounded in the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
Provide students with support to excel in an environment that respects, embraces and nurtures their diverse background and perspectives.

Committee Membership

Niti Seth, Chair
Joseph Reed, Co-Chair
Regina Robinson, Co-Chair
Shannon Thomas Allen (SOUS student, CC CA)
Tahia Bell-Sykes (SOUS/SOE adjunct faculty, staff)
John Carew (Core faculty, SOPC)
Teresa Forte (Regional Center Executive Director, CC Springfield)
Diane Harper (Core faculty, SOE)
Linda Kuramoto, (SOPC adjunct faculty and program chair)
Maria Mangual (SOPC faculty, PR)
Keith Marion, (SOM student)
Sofia Nova, (SOM student, SOPC staff)
Mawakana Onifades (SOPC student)
Carol Pepi (Core faculty, SOUS)
Troy Smith, (SOUS adjunct faculty)
Tamara Peeples-Mbengue (SOE student)

#4: Community

Influence, support, and advocate for racial and social justice and equity outside of our college, and in our communities.

Committee Membership

Phillip Page, Chair
Rebecca Heimel, Co-Chair
Daniel Ibarrondo, Co-Chair
Carmen Mendez (Assistant Director of Business Operations/DSO/SCO, CC PR)
Natasa Ninkovic (Alumni, SOUS)
Melissa Sue Padilla (Regional Center Director, CC LW)
Barbara Reid (Core Faculty, SOUS)
Ada Robinson (Admissions Counselor)
Kevin Sibley ( Alumni, SOM)

Events

Upcoming Events

July 21 at 5:30pm (EST): Cambridge College Panel Discussion - Part 2 of Pride & Pain: Black Triumph and Trauma in America. A discussion about the significance of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

July 22 at 11:30am (ET): What If We All Had Enough? Freeing Our True Selves from the Locks of Oppression. An online presentation by the City Spotlights Teen Leadership Program. Learn more and register

Weekly events, SURJ Boston, SURJB Action Hour, Abolition Hour and more

Past Events

July 13: Black Health Summit, Community invited to hear from nationally-acclaimed experts on chronic disease, mental health, fitness, wellness and more. Free. Presented by Black Health Matters and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Learn more

July 9: Public Reading of Frederick Douglas's Fourth of July Address, Museum of African American History, 46 Joy Street, Boston. More info at masshumanities.org

Ongoing March through June 2021: Mass. Historical Society & Northeastern Univ. School of Law, Confronting Racial Injustice Series

Every Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - June 15, 2021: Boston Foundation, Book Discussion: "Waking Up White, And Finding Myself in the Story of Race"

April 30, 2021: Racism is a Virus: The Impact of Racism on Overall Health, A panel discussion hosted by Cambridge College.

December 10, 2020: Student Virtual Coffee Hour

December 9, 2020: Faculty Conversations on Race: Moving Towards Racial Equity

November 18, 2020: Faculty Conversations on Race: Racial Consciousness and The Current Reality

November 12, 2020, Student Virtual Coffee Hour

October 14, 2020, Faculty Conversations on Race: Why is Talking about Race So Difficult?

Feb 23, 2020, Boston Public Library, Anna Malaika Tubbs — The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation

Feb 18, City of Boston Department of Youth Engagement and Employment, Dream Chasers 2021: One Mic, Many Voices

Feb 13, Boston Public Library, A Nubian Movement: African Dance Workshop ft. Wyoma

Feb 9, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, AHOTB - based on Fanny Lou Hamer’s idea that “a black women’s body is never hers alone”

Feb 8, Cambridge Public Library, How the Turntables Have Turned! A Conversation About Hip-Hop & The Media

November 19, 2020, The Dinner Group - Boston, Men of Color Conference: Equity, Justice, Development - Day 2

November 12, 2020, The Dinner Group - Boston, Men of Color Conference: Equity, Justice, Development - Day 1

November 2, 2020, Eastern Bank, Virtual Celebration of Social Justice

October 21, 2020, Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, From Protest to Power, Part 2: Electeds Enacting Policy.

October 13, 2020, Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, From Protest to Power, Part 1: Activists in Action.

2018, cosponsors: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and National Museum of African American History, Symposium: Finding Common Ground.

Resources

black & white

These resources are gathered as part of an ongoing, collaborative effort. Please reach out with your recommendations by emailing us at OfficeofPublicRelations@cambridgecollege.edu.

Articles

COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter: Examining Anti-Asian Racism and Anti-Blackness in US Education, (co-authored by Cambridge College faculty member, Divya Anand, MA, MPhil, PhD) International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education

Toward a racially just workplace, Harvard Business Review, 2019

Why diversity matters, McKinsey & Company, 2015

Create a Shared Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Vision, young nonprofit professional network - Boston, 2017

Microaggressions: More Than Just Race, Psychology Today, 2010

Day-to-Day Experiences of Emotional Tax among Women and Men of Color in the Workplace, Catalyst.org, 2018

Success Comes from Affirming Your Potential, Harvard Business Review, 2019

A Letter to My POC Sisters and Brothers, CompassPoint, 2016

Awake to Woke at Work: Building a Race Equity Culture, Equity in the Center

A Call to Action: Addressing Racism at Four Levels, Tamika Mason, SHRM-SCP, SPH, 2020

Cambridge College Online Library collection of African American journals - available to CC students, faculty and staff

Burning Tulsa: The Legacy of Black Dispossession, Zinn Education Project, 2013

The Color Line, Zinn Education Project