Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A note from dr. Pierre Morton

On Saturday, May 14, at Tops Friendly Supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., our nation witnessed yet another murderous demonstration of the evil that is racism. Ten people were murdered, three people were wounded, eleven of which were African-American. This is an evil that has permeated our culture since the inception of our great nation; it has been with us since the beginning of time. It is wrong; it is divisive; and it is deadly. We must continue to resist all forms of hate, to identify and root out all expressions of racism; to truly be anti-racist. Although we vigorously and rightly condemn this heinous act, it is not enough. To truly call oneself an anti-racist means we must fight for the most undervalued, misunderstood and strongest antigen to hate – which is love.

Carl Jung, the renowned Swiss psychiatrist reminds us, ‘What we resist not only persists, but grows in size.’ Why? When we resist something based on the thinking that ‘this is not who we are as a nation,’ or describe a particular act of hate as ‘a fringe or lone individual,’ we deny that it is our culture that produced this hateful expression. We deny that we are also, individually and collectively, contributing to and are responsible for this reality. Resistance is necessary, but resistance alone is inadequate and woefully incomplete. Yes, it is true that we must do all we can to stand firmly against false rhetoric and straw-man ideology designed to separate us; it is also true that we must buttress that resistance with the most powerful, unifying antidote towards hate available to us. Love must be our resolve.

Racism, coupled with extremist ideology is hate, which is rooted in fear. Fear of the ‘other’, of the idea that one cannot be whole unless someone else is incomplete, less than, inferior, and therefore not worthy of the free expression of humanity, and finally that the humanity of one will replace the humanity of another, (race-based replacement theory). Martin Luther King once said that the logical expression and goal of racism is annihilation. So, if the root of racism is fear; the antidote must be rooted in love because perfect love casts out fear.

Today, we are asked to demonstrate how love can work to mend broken people, with broken hearts, and broken ideas. For love is not a clean, easy act to commit. Love is a difficult, unreasonable, and messy proposition. Every time we commit to an act of kindness, every time we forgive an intentional act of violence is the moment where love is activated, that is where love conquers fear. Friends, let us recommit and firm up our resolve to love one another and do it in the face of hate.

In Love,
Dr. Pierre Morton, Chief Diversity Officer

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Living the Franklin Pierce Experience means being an active part of a welcoming, inclusive and equitable community of dreamers and doers. Franklin Pierce University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion provides resources and guidance to ensure that every member of our community is celebrated in support of their race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, creed, physical handicap, and/or neurodiversity.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion collaborates with departments, individuals and external organizations to foster and promote a respectful, accessible, and inclusive community.

Announcements

Our Core Goals Include:

Preparing students to succeed in a racially diverse, culturally rich and intellectually challenging world;
Supporting diversity in curriculum, pedagogy and practice;
Strengthening diversity recruitment, on-boarding and retention efforts;
Developing a system of metrics to track and assess DEI progress;
Facilitating educational programming and workshops addressing bias, difficult conversations, and racism;
Promoting diversity in the arts, sports, and recreation to enhance community relations; and
Influencing decision-making across our University and in our communities.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Statement from Our Strategic Plan: Pierce@60

We Believe:

In the intrinsic worth of every person.
In the value of diversity and inclusion.
That our differences ‒ perspectives, experiences, backgrounds ‒ strengthen our community.
That Franklin Pierce University is a place where all are welcome.

We Are Dedicated To:

Embracing every person for who they are and who they wish to become.
Addressing inequality while promoting equity and accessibility.
Fostering a culture of care, respect, and safety within and outside the University.
Nurturing the self-discovery and self-worth of every student.

To support Franklin Pierce’s diversity, equity, and inclusion values, please contact diversity@franklinpierce.edu.