Anti-Racism Resource Center

News and Updates

Fisher College Mourns Passing of Civil Rights Icon Congressman John Lewis

On July 18th, the nation lost a great leader and friend. Congressman John Lewis was a Civil Rights icon and one of the 13 original Freedom Riders. Having a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement, he helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where his mentor, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Throughout his life, Congressman Lewis encouraged others to be the best version of themselves and to recognize the beauty and value of every human life. He compelled us to stand up for all that is right and never stand on the sidelines. His legacy reminds us that one person can, in fact, change the world. Congressman Lewis leaves this country a better, more just place, but as recent events make evident, much work remains to be done.

As an institution of higher learning, we recognize this as a great responsibility. We affirm that we stand with and support the Black community in this struggle to end racism and social injustice. Fisher honors Congressman John Lewis’ memory by recommitting ourselves to fairness and opportunity for all.

Remembering John Lewis and his Fight for Civil Rights

Community FAQs

As a faculty member, how can I incorporate anti-racism into my curriculum?

Create a Safe and Inclusive Classroom Environment For All Students

Creating an Inclusive College Classroom- University of Michigan
Tips for Creating Inclusive Classrooms-University of Central Florida
Helping Students Discuss Race Openly-Julie Landsman

Confront Your Personal Biases

Can We Challenge And Overcome Our Biases?- Kevin Kruse of Forbes Magazine interviews Tiffany Jana
Confronting Prejudice Isn't Enough-George Yancy
How White Fragility Supports Racism and How Whites Can Stop it - Robin DiAngelo
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack - Peggy McIntosh

Learn from the Examples of Other Fisher Professors

Professor Natalie Sforza: Learning from My Students - Natalie Sforza, Professor of English

Diversify Your Curriculum by Sharing Untold History

Black Achievements in Space Exploration-Black women at NASA launched astronaut John Glenn into orbit 7 years before the first moon landing.
Black Americans in Leadership Positions Pre-Jim Crow-Black Americans served leadership positions in congress between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Jim Crow
Black Wall Street-The story of one of the wealthiest, most successful black communities in the United States own and how it ended in the brutal violence of the Tulsa Massacre.
Henrietta Lacks-A Black woman whose cells were used to make great strides in cancer research---without her permisison.
Tuskeegee Experiments-A 40-year medical experiment in which black men were infected with Syphilis for medical research and deliberately left untreated. Learn more about the devastating impact of this experiment.
Seneca Village- A thriving and independent black community in New York City whose land was seized by the city to help the creation of Central Park.

This is not a complete list. Continue your research by reading, listening to, or watching some of the Anti-Racist Education resources below.

As a person of color, where can I find safe spaces on campus?

Student Groups to Join

Black and Latinx Student Alliance (BLSA), For more information about joining and how the group plans to conduct meetings during the fall of 2020 and beyond, email studentactivities@fisher.edu

Staff to Reach Out To For Support

Arthur Asbury-Director of the Academic Advising and Support Center

Fisher is committed to creating a safe environment for students, faculty, and staff members of color, and we mean to continually grow this list as our Task Force on Racial Equity and Social Justice continues to brainstorm ideas for new resources.

As a white person, how can I educate myself on racism?

You can find a list of anti-racist education resources below, such as books, movies, and podcasts, which is a great start, but by no means an exhaustive list of resources.

Do you and a group of friends want to hold each other accountable? Watch one of the movies together or start a monthly anti-racist book club with one of the books below. The more you take the initiative to learn and encourage other white people to learn, the less of a burden you put on people of color to play the role of educator.