The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion collaborates with students, faculty, administrators, staff, and members of our surrounding community to promote and implement the University of Wisconsin-Parkside's mission, strategic diversity, and inclusion initiatives.
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A Message from the Black Student Union
On July 13, 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement was born. The movement’s inception jump started with the acquittal of a neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, and for the last seven years Black Lives Matter has fought, inspired, grown, and won in the name of equity. However, over time, it seems that the term “Black Lives Matter” has become political.
In this increasingly polarized climate, the American society has an uncanny, and often times unconscious, way of turning any and every topic into political debate. There is more concern over leftist versus conservative ideology than concern for the basic well being of the Black community. “Black Lives Matter” has become a slogan for incumbents’ re-election campaign, profit for corporations, and clout for social media personalities who want to maintain their fan base. It can be confusing and frustrating trying to interpret what the phrase means now that it has become so multifaceted but at its face value, “Black Lives Matter” means the same thing it did in 2013—that
Black
lives
matter
. Not that they mean more than white or brown lives, but that they mean something intrinsically—their value is not contingent upon their socioeconomic status, the neighborhood they live in or their education level. The term reinforces an idea that we are born with rights, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. It’s a conscious and willful opposition to the long standing oppression, exploitation, and injustice that Black people have faced since the first slave ship reached land in 1619. “Black Lives Matter” is a crucial and momentum force that reminds us that there is hope to build a better future and encourages us to pursue the change we know is necessary.
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Historic Win for LGBTQ Rights
On Monday, June 15, the US Supreme Court, in a landmark 6-3 ruling represented the biggest moment for LFBT rights in the United states since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015. The ruling decided that gay and transgender people are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating agains employees on the basis of sex as well as race, color, national origin or religion.
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Educational Resources - Knowledge as a Tool for Dismantling Racism
Addressing and dismantling systemic and systematic racism requires us to educate ourselves about race and racism. Understanding the roots of racism and the impact on Blacks in America today is critical. The Apple Podcast "1619" is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones that examines the long shadow of American slavery. The series is now being taught in K-12 schools around the country.
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Important Student and Staff Data
"The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them." -
Ida B. Wells
Did you know
we have increased the diversity of our student body from 25% in 2010 to just over 35% in 2020. But, did you know the number and percentage of black students has actually dropped over the past decade and is less than 10% of our student population. Unfortunately, this does not reflect the population we serve in SE Wisconsin and we are committed to doing better to recruit, retain, and graduate more black students.
Did you know
that we have closed the gap in first-to-second year retention for students of color but the six-year graduation gap between white students and students of color is 15%. Yes, we are increasing the number of graduates each year at UW-Parkside, but Black students only make up 7% of the graduating class. The graduation rate for black and Hispanic students lags 13% behind our peers in higher education.
Did you know
o
nly 6% of our faculty and staff are black and just under 20% of our workforce are persons of color.
For more information about the numbers, follow the link below.
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OFFICE OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION
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