“I can’t breathe” – NSHE’s statement on George Floyd’s Death

From NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly:

I, like many of you, have been profoundly disturbed by the recent deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery that have led to days of civil unrest.

As a nation we continue to struggle with racially motivated violence, harassment, and discrimination against our black citizens. We have also seen a rise in hate toward our Asian communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, against our Latino and undocumented communities due to immigration issues, and our LGBTQ communities due their sexual orientation and gender identity.

We need to take time to listen more. Racism and discrimination persists because we avoid difficult conversations. But having difficult conversations both inside and outside of the classroom is what higher education is about. We need to engage in more of these discussions on our campuses and acknowledge the deep-rooted and historical racism and discrimination that exists in our country. Education is the pathway to real and lasting change.

We can and must do better in Nevada.

NSHE reaffirms its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and the belief it makes us stronger not only as a system of higher education, but as Nevadans too.

By embracing our differences and recognizing that racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual orientation barriers still exist we will better prepare our graduates to fight the injustices that continue to plague our nation. As Chancellor of NSHE, I will continue to listen and advocate for these values.