The University of Miami Libraries (UML) decries the recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd at the hands of police. UML endorses the June 1 statement by the Executive Board of the American Library Association (ALA) and the May 28 statement by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) that condemn violence and racism toward Black people and all People of Color. The systemic and systematic social injustices endured by Black people and People of Color can no longer be tolerated.
These recent events affecting Black people are part of a larger pattern of social injustice and intolerance throughout our history that targets individuals and groups based on their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or citizenship status. President Frenk has called on our University of Miami community to “ask the hard questions and be bold enough to take action on the answers we find.” In keeping with UML’s values and the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy articulated in our Strategic Plan 2017–2025, we pledge to redouble our efforts to make progress on initiatives promoting an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace. And we affirm that achieving progress in creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace is a collective responsibility requiring engagement by every UML employee.
As we bear witness to the extraordinary pain currently being experienced by Black people and People of Color in our country, we cannot turn away from the work that is now called for in order to realize a genuine culture of belonging that promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity for all people in our interdependent world.
Signed,
UML Administrative Leadership Team
Charles Eckman, Dean and University Librarian
Jose M. Cabrera, Director of Creative
Vanessa Carreño-Valle, Community Relations Coordinator
Elizabeth Fish, Associate Dean, Collection Strategies
Lourdes Garvey, Human Resources Manager
Cheryl Gowing, Associate Dean, Library Information Systems and Facilities
Elizabeth Gushee, Associate Dean, Digital Strategies
Kimberly Loper, Interim Associate Dean Health Sciences and Executive Director of the Calder Library
Kelly Miller, Associate Dean, Learning and Research
Glen Wiley, Associate Dean, Access and Discovery
Alexis Yordan, Budget Manager
