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It’s time to act.

Two weeks ago today, the world learned of, and witnessed, the horrific murder of George Floyd. In just a short period of time, Mr. Floyd’s death has reignited a powerful worldwide movement around racial injustice and police brutality. The world has also witnessed peaceful protests to keep the need for change at the forefront of our consciousness.

At Concordia, we remain firm in our commitment to discussion and action to make the world a better place. Through inclusivity, collaboration, and unity, we are actively working to create a better future for all. The killing of George Floyd—as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and countless other black lives—tells us that there is much more to do to address systemic racism.

As we look at actionable ways in which Concordia can carry on and amplify the movement towards justice, change, and equity, we are committing to taking the following five steps over the next three months:

1. We will launch an alliance, or initiative, focused on addressing the issue of racial injustice and inequality from both a domestic and international lens.

2. We will gift 1 Programming Sponsorship, 1 Programming Partnership, and 3 Patron Memberships (each lasting for 12 months) to organizations working to promote racial equity.

3. We will dedicate at least two main stage sessions at our 2020 Annual Summit to racial inequality in the United States. We will commit to elevating more black voices on our stage than at our 2019 Annual Summit.

4. We will invite guests to educate Concordia staff on systematic inequality, unconscious bias, and how we can be allies for righteous causes.

5. We will seek to form long-term collaborations with historically-black colleges and universities in the United States to offer paid internship and employment opportunities.

These serve as a foundation for a long-term roadmap for Concordia.

Above all, we will leverage our platform, our voice, and our community to combat the racial injustice that pervades not only our country, but our entire world, too. Concordia must, and will, be a leader during this time and in the future.

Black lives matter.