Dear Friends,

Metcalf Institute’s mission lies at the intersection of science, journalism, science communication, and the environment—an increasingly critical and challenging combination. It is important to acknowledge that these fields share racist histories that have ignored, undervalued, and even harmed Black people. 

We continue to witness anti-Black violence in the U.S., often perpetrated by the very people who have pledged to protect us. Metcalf Institute condemns police violence against Black people and other marginalized groups, as well as violence against journalists who are doing the important work of keeping us informed about what is happening on the ground in the protests that have spread across the country. We join the call for systemic changes that provide truly equal treatment under the law.

To show our solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, we at Metcalf Institute pledge to support, advocate for, and amplify the voices of Black scientists, journalists, and science communicators. We will redouble our efforts to present a racially and ethnically diverse range of speakers in our programs. We will continue our efforts to build and support a national network of science communicators who prioritize inclusion, equity, and intersectionality in their work. And we will push ourselves to interrogate our own assumptions and biases.

Science, environmental movements, journalism, and science communication can and must address their racist legacies, which will require sustained learning, listening, and difficult conversations about how to combat inequality and achieve justice. There are many excellent resources available to advance these conversations, and we urge you to start with some of the readings below.

Sincerely,
Sunshine Menezes, Ph.D.
Executive Director

Anti-racism resources
Racial Equity Tools
Science Communication Demands a Critical Approach that Centers Inclusion, Equity, and Intersectionality
Seeing White Podcast from Scene on Radio
Structural Racism in America