The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, among the many Black Americans who have been lost to police brutality, are a painful reminder of the institutionalized AntiBlack racism, abuse and marginalization that continues to plague the United States. We stand in solidarity in demanding an end to systematic racism. It is vital that we listen to Black Americans and other oppressed communities raising their voices to fight against racism and discrimination.

As a linguistic organization, we will continue to sustain the space we have carved to nurture Young Scholars of Color, support the work of Faculty of Color, and work with a positive impact on our communities of color. LASSOvians have a history of addressing injustices in their writing and supporting social justice through teaching and community engagement. The work to learn to become an AntiBlack Racist is only beginning as we reckon there is much to be learned to go beyond the idea of not being racist. We must go beyond to interrupt racism by dismantling and interrupting it in our work inside and outside our classrooms, demanding that our campuses and other institutions recruit Black Faculty and other Faculty of Color, disinvesting in police, and institutionalizing AntiRacism training and cultural tax compensations for the additional service responsibilities on Black Faculty and on Faculty of Color in general.

We will continue our commitment to respect and defend all linguistic varieties, cultures, and identities as we unequivocally condemn Black Racial Injustice.