A Student-Led Pledge in Support of the Black Community at Kellogg

The following pledge was written by student allies following conversations with Black classmates and receipt of the June 1 letter from the Full-Time Black Management Association. It has been and continues to be signed by students, faculty and staff, and is published here with the full support of its authors. 

Dear Dean Cornelli,

The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and George Floyd, and the discriminatory targeting of Christian Cooper shed harsh light on the systemic racism that remains pervasive in America. We stand in solidarity and mourning with all those affected by these injustices.

We recognize that the Kellogg community must work to root out racism, and commit to leading change at our school. This commitment stretches beyond the walls of Kellogg to our everyday lives. We are outraged at the way our society treats the black community and intend to use our privilege and influence to reconstitute a society built to treat all of its members fairly. 

By signing this letter, we pledge the following:

1. We recognize that we ourselves are sometimes biased because we were raised in a biased system. We will educate ourselves and question the assumptions on which our biases and biased systems were built.
2. We will hear and amplify black voices, recognizing that their perspectives too often go unheard and undervalued.
3. We will be actively anti-racist, working to eliminate racism in ourselves and in the institutions we build and influence. We will start by supporting and engaging in efforts by the BMA, KSA, Administration, and others to make Kellogg a more inclusive place. We will continue by prioritizing diversity and inclusion as a fundamental part of great organizations rather than as a public relations issue or legal constraint.

Racial discrimination has scarred this country deeply, and we must do better for our black community and others who are discriminated against because of their identity. Please know that the BMA and Kellogg Administration have our full support in your goal to identify tangible and sustainable ways to make Kellogg a more inclusive school, as well as in your effort to address any structural obstacles that might undermine equity and justice. We are taking action together.

Thank you,

The Kellogg Community