Dear Berkeley Lab Postdoc Community,
We are heartbroken and outraged by the recent instances of violence against the Black community. As we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, we recognize that their killings are only the latest examples of the devastating inequalities and systemic racial injustice in our society.
As we stress in our bylaws, BLPA seeks to promote diversity and ensure equal opportunity and inclusion for all postdocs. We stand against any form of racism and hate. As young scientists and future science leaders, we pledge to hold ourselves accountable for fostering a truly inclusive environment for Black researchers.
To the Black members of our postdoc community – we stand in solidarity with you. We want to amplify your voices. We offer the use of our platforms, such as our “Coffee with Postdocs” blog and social media, to share stories, provide support, and host events to celebrate your research and passions. We are here for you.
Finally, we encourage all postdocs to engage with resources at LBNL and elsewhere to learn how to be more inclusive and upstanding members of the research community. Some of these resources include the LBNL IDEA Office and online collections (here and here) of anti-racism books, podcasts, articles, and more. Together, we can support one another as allies and colleagues.
If you have additional suggestions, please contact us at any time at postdoc@lbl.gov.
BLPA Board