Pullias Center Statement of Solidarity with Protesters Demanding Justice

As a research center committed to addressing issues of equity in higher education, we express our solidarity with protesters across the country who are demanding justice in the senseless slayings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Nina Pop, and Tony McDade. We stand against police violence and brutality.  We recognize these horrific killings are the continued manifestation of the system of racial oppression stemming from our history of slavery and racial injustice.

As a research center – and as individuals – we recommit to disrupting anti-Blackness in higher education and ameliorating systemic racism.  Our Center will work even more directly on changing systems of racism affecting college access and on college campuses with heightened vigor, support Black Lives Matter, and participate in protests and other forms of advocacy for social justice and racial equity.

We recognize that the work will take time and be multifaceted. As a first small step, we have submitted a letter to LA City Councilmember Krekorian (head of the budget committee) to increase funding to community support and education and decrease the proposed amount to policing.

We remain hopeful that our country can finally reckon with its history of slavery and ongoing racial discrimination.

– The Pullias Center team