OWU Antiracism Actions & Statements
Stand together and work for change.
Systemic racism cannot continue.
At Ohio Wesleyan University we are committed to doing all we can do to address issues of racial disparity on our campus, in our nation, and throughout our world.
We are outraged at the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and so many others. It is vitally important for us to acknowledge to one another and to the larger community that Black Lives Matter. The pain of some and the privilege of others is not acceptable. It is time for us to channel our outrage into action. Bigotry, oppression, and hatred must be replaced with understanding, kindness, and love.
We pledge to work tirelessly to prepare students to become engaged citizens and leaders who support equity, diversity, and inclusion for Black, African American, Latinx, indigenous, and other marginalized populations wherever injustice exists. We need to come together to learn each other's cultures, understand each other's fundamental needs and motivations, and evolve as a society into a community that recognizes the value of our differences and the potential for good that abides in our common humanity.
We recognize that these actions must include work to create meaningful and immediate change at OWU. For many years, we have supported diversity, equity, and inclusion in our declarations and documents; we must act more deeply and decisively in ways that lead to systemic change. Indeed, we must acknowledge the pain suffered by our Black students and students of color – today and in years past – as they have encountered and lived with racism on our campus.
We must act vigorously and immediately to end racism in every facet of university life.
Beginning immediately, we are launching an antiracism action plan to help provide the type of welcoming, accepting, and just environment that we want to epitomize the Ohio Wesleyan experience.
Systemic racism cannot continue. And together, we can help to ensure that it does not continue.
OWU Announces Antiracism Actions
In a June 16, 2020, statement to the Ohio Wesleyan University community, President Rock Jones announced the first set of actions in a new initiative to support diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus in ways intended to "create meaningful and immediate change."
The initiative focuses on four areas: structure and policies, teaching and learning, recruiting and retaining students and employees, and campus climate. Further actions will be announced in the near future."

Phokeng Dailey
Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism & Communication
Watch: He Calls Them Vermin and Rodents: Metaphoric Language in Political Communication
"Political language shapes public attitudes toward groups. And public attitudes toward groups shape public policy."

Michael Flamm
Emeritus Professor in the Department of History
Watch: Why History Matters
"Contrary to what some wrongly claim, statues are not some timeless, universal celebration of heritage."

Nancy Comorau
Associate Professor of English
Watch: Black Texts Matter
"Reading books that tell the stories of Black lives can help white America and the world see and understand ways in which Black lives are important, rich, valuable, human, worthy, and beautiful."

Brianna Mack
Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics & Government
Read: The Scariest Cryptid Is Real and We Need to Eradicate It Once and for All
"America didn't kill Racism. She didn't sever all of the heads, and now that creature is scarier and stronger."
Resources
- Ibram X. Kendi's "Stamped from the Beginning"
- Jill Nelson's "Police Brutality: An Anthology"
- Policy Reform: Campaign Zero
- Claudia Rankine's "Citizen"
- Evie Shockley's "can't unsee"
- Running For Your Life: A Community Poem for Ahmaud Arbery
- "A Decade of Watching Black People Die" episode of Code Switch
- Ezra Klein podcast "Health Disparities in COVID19"
- "Seeing White" series
- Brené Brown interview with Ibram X. Kendi
- 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Anti-racism resources for white people
- Showing Up for Racial Justice
- Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism