DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
A Message from the Executive Council:
Delta's Anti-Racism Statement
The killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among far too many others, are challenging each of us - and the organizations to which we belong - to meaningfully and candidly engage about race and confront racism.
Delta Kappa Psi joins all who condemn racism, hate, bigotry and violence. We grieve with the families and friends of those who have suffered injustice. As Deltas, we expect our members, both Initiated/Active and Alumnae, to live up to our high ideals and to show the best qualities of character by being fair, inclusive and supportive. Racism, hate, bigotry and violence are in complete contradiction with our purpose and values.
Delta Kappa Psi is committed to 1) providing education and resources that build cultural competence and 2) actively engaging in conversations that challenge one another to be antiracist. As members of Delta Kappa Psi, we cannot stand silently by as our communities and the world - and even our own Delta sisters - are impacted by violence and injustice. We call on our Initiated/Active and Alumnae members to join us in standing against hate and take action to care for those who are harmed by racism.
Building on this commitment, the Initiated/Active members of Delta Kappa Psi voted to partner with the Redlands Alumni for BLM Coalition and are hoping to engage our 1,300+ Alumnae in reflection on these issues as they relate to our sisterhood. To this end, Delta Alumnae Executive Council has committed to the following with the support of the Initiated/Active members:
1. The Delta Advisors recently added a new DEI Advisor to support the Initaited/Active Members in their efforts to increase diversity within the sisterhood by creating a more inclusive environment. This new role will support the Initiated/Active members as they define their goals and create a plan of action.
2. Executive Council will immediately seek nominations from the Alumnae community to fill a new Executive Council position that will focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues. This position will engage interested Alumnae in the creation of a Diversity Working Group to:
a. Provide opportunities for Deltas to increase their awareness of the Black experience and racial injustice through educational programming.
b. Collaborate with the University of Redlands Office of Campus Diversity & Inclusion and the University-wide Council on Inclusiveness and Diversity to leverage and expand programming and learning opportunities.
3. Executive Council will donate $10,000 to seed a Delta fund to support DEI initiatives, and will seek Alumnae donations to build and sustain the fund on an ongoing basis.
4. Executive Council will seek input from our Initiated/Active and Alumnae members through the dissemination of a sorority-wide racial climate survey. The results of the survey will be shared and will help guide the activities of the Diversity Working Group.