During February, and as a descendant of African slaves, I typically take great pleasure in celebrating and honoring my ancestors during Black History Month. With great pride, I attend and support events and continue to be inspired by the accomplishments of those who’ve paved the way for me. Along with that comes the responsibility of introducing Black history to my 13-year-old daughter in the way my parents and family poured it into me. There is, however, a stark contrast between my experience as a 13-year-old, and my daughter's. My Black history was about Carter G. Woodson, Harriet Tubman, W.E.B. Dubois, Sojourner Truth, and others - pillars of strength, trailblazers, and pioneers on whose shoulders I stand. My daughter’s Black history, partly due to the ubiquity of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, is different. Her lens and context are often clouded with the kind of history that no one should be proud of – one that includes the murders of unarmed Black men, often at the hands of those sworn to serve and protect them.

Tyre Nichols, the young Black man murdered just over a month ago in Memphis, TN, is now a part of our history, and his story will be added to the numerous stories of others who have suffered the same plight. It keeps me up at night as I think about the fear and shock he must have felt in a situation he probably never thought would occur. I also wonder what may have happened to me in a similar situation, or my nephews, or my students. I recognize that I, as a college president, have a tremendous amount of privilege that many do not, and with that privilege, comes an equally tremendous amount of responsibility.

At our recent Board of Trustees meeting, I stated aloud my intention to see us, as a college community, be a part of stemming the violence that plagues our nation and our very own community. I challenged us to talk about violence in all its forms, and by all its perpetrators. We are uniquely positioned to do that. Our community is incredibly diverse by race, socio-economic status, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. We are a community of scholars and change agents. Who better to lead conversations and change around this topic? We also have a Police Department made up of sworn law enforcement officers, consistently ranked high in student and employee satisfaction -- officers who I have had the overwhelming pleasure of getting to know and who understand how to do community policing. These men and women know our students and care deeply about this community. We have something special at PSC, and we should teach others how to do that!

Thinking about our past and looking toward the future, I realize that with every tragedy we experience, near or far, we also experience joy: with our families, friends, and also, for me, in the workplace. As long as we live, we’ll have both joy and pain. It is a part of my history and part of yours. I am so thankful to be a part of this community that has and will continue to face the challenges of the day with open minds, hearts, and a pioneering spirit.

Take care of yourself, and each other.

#WeArePSC