It’s been an unprecedented time in the Holy City and around the United States as people of all ages and races have taken to the streets in recent days to fight for social justice following the death of George Floyd, a black man, as a result of a forceful arrest by Minneapolis police officers.

Harris says as part of the College’s new strategic plan, which includes diversity as a primary element, OID will be responsible for five major initiatives: (1) mandatory education on diversity education and inclusion (DEI) for faculty and staff, (2) partnering with the Division of Institutional Advancement to raise funds supporting initiatives for underrepresented minorities, (3) developing a robust mentorship program for underrepresented minorities, (4) providing DEI training for first-year incoming students and (5) working with admissions to better market to underrepresented minorities and first-generation students.

Helping move the conversation forward on issues of race and social justice for CofC as well as the greater Charleston area is also a main focus of the College’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture.

Events for June 2020, include:

Also central to the Avery’s work for the last several years has been the center’s Race and Social Justice Initiative, which was born out of the 2015 fatal police shooting of Walter Scott in North Charleston and the massacre of nine parishioners at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in downtown Charleston.

As part of the initiative’s ongoing mission – and in line with recent events – the center is working with the Charleston Police Department, Charleston Jewish Federation, Social Justice Collaborative in Higher Education and local community organizers to develop a slate of virtual public programming to help give context to the current social and racial landscape.