EREN for Racial Justice

We are horrified, saddened, and angered by the racist events we all have witnessed over the past few weeks in our country. Tragically, this is part of a pattern of systemic racism that is woven into the history of the United States, and we stand with the black community in condemning the societal constructs that oppress and kill people because of the color of their skin. Throughout the history of EREN, one of our central goals has been to build a collaborative and open network that prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. As recent events demonstrate, we have a significant amount of work to do to make sure that everyone in our society is treated fairly, justly, and with respect. In our own professional circles, this means seeing, hearing, and supporting students and faculty of underrepresented minority groups in ecology.

We feel a deep responsibility as members of faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions to be leaders of change and to support our students of color as they learn and contribute to the scientific endeavor. We also commit to educating all our students to be actively anti-racist, both through our own example and by lifting up and highlighting minority voices in our classrooms and scientific spaces. We pledge to identify and dismantle systemic racism within the scientific and higher education communities. In addition, we will continue to look for new ways to make EREN a more inclusive, open, and safe place. Black scientists matter. 

The EREN Board of Directors is considering concrete ways to address these issues and initiate change within the EREN community. If you are interested in helping with these efforts or have questions or ideas, please let us know. We need to make sure that everyone is heard and supported in these incredibly challenging times.