A Message from President Jasken regarding Juneteenth

This Friday, June 18, the college will be closed in observance of Juneteenth (June 19). This is a day of celebration and reflection in commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. I encourage you to learn more about the history of Juneteenth and use this day as an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Black Americans, while continuing to work toward justice and lasting change.

Dear McDaniel Faculty, Staff, and Students,

As I mentioned in my introductory address on June 1, there is no one issue that has occupied the hearts and minds of our campus community more, particularly over the past year, than our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Ensuring that McDaniel is the most welcoming, equitable, and inclusive community possible remains one of my top priorities as I begin the presidency.

I want to begin by thanking the members of our diversity, equity, and inclusion administrative team, taskforce and advisory group for their time and dedication to this work. I am also grateful to the McDaniel College Board of Trustees for their continued support, and I am pleased to share that a resolution in support of Black Lives Matter was approved at the Board’s recent spring meeting. It reads in full:

Be it resolved by the Board of Trustees of McDaniel College that Black lives matter, that our College fully supports equity for and the inclusion of Black lives, and that on campus and in campus publications, our College must support and promote Black Lives Matter as a phrase as part of our anti-racist mission and our First Principles.

Many honor the importance of the holiday by visiting museums that honor black culture, donating to organizations that provide resources to black communities, supporting black owned business, or attending local or regional Juneteenth celebrations. Here are a few links for Juneteenth celebrations in our region:

Although we continue to make steady progress in moving forward the institution’s focus on anti-racism, we must not lose sight of the fact that important work remains ahead of us. I am proud to be a member of a community that both acknowledges and is committed to this work.

Sincerely,

Julia Jasken
President
McDaniel College