Employees from underrepresented groups often deal with challenges based on perceptions of race and/or ethnicity that arise in the form of micro-aggressions or implicit/overt bias. As a result, staff need a safe place to discuss and positively resolve diversity and equity issues in the business environment. In alignment with Harvard’s commitment to diversity, equity, and social justice, our purpose is to foster community partnerships and advance social justice issues internally and externally by providing tools to elicit action.
- Engage in equity and social justice issues within the Harvard Longwood Campus and within the greater community.
- Engage in discussions with leadership on transparency regarding diversity and equity efforts in recruitment, retention and advancement.
- Create relevant and timely information related to equity and social justice for distribution to BSC members and allies.
- Improve communication methods that provide access to resources for the Black staff within our community.
- Incorporate various other initiatives as our partnerships grow.
Upcoming and Previous Projects
Postcards for Climate Change Zoom Event (October 2022)
BSC joined the campaign to write Postcards to Mobilize Registered Voters – a postcard-writing effort to mobilize registered voters to vote. During the October 19, 2022 event, 11 members of the Longwood Campus gathered to write 200 postcards to Georgia voters encouraging them to vote in the November 2022 election.
Postcards for Climate Change Zoom Event (October 2021)
Black Staff Caucus joined the campaign to write Postcards for Climate Change – a postcard-writing effort to mobilize voters with an interest in climate issues. During the October 13, 2021 event, 16 members of the Longwood Campus gathered to write 200 postcards to Boston voters encouraging them to vote in the November 2021 election.
Call-to-Action – A letter-writing campaign for the passage of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act (June 2021)
In support of the bill making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday, the Black Staff Caucus joined the effort encouraging passage of the legislation. On June 19, 1865 (known as Juneteenth) the last enslaved Africans in the United States received word of their freedom, two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 17, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, with introductory remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris, signed the Juneteenth legislation into law.