The University and Community Action for Racial Equity, a group devoted to fighting racial discrimination on Grounds and in Charlottesville, announced Monday the public release of a report titled “Call for Reflection and Action.” The publication coincides with UCARE’s receipt of a $148,000 grant from the Andrus Family Fund to promote better race relations at the University.
The 35-page report stems in part from the Virginia General Assembly’s 2007 “statement of regret” for the Commonwealth’s history of slavery and the Board of Visitors’ subsequent praise of the statement. These public statements led to calls for better education about the history of racial segregation, slavery and discrimination and the creation of plans to address lingering effects of racism.
UCARE’s main goals include advocating for an improvement in quality of life for University staff, a recognition of the proportional decline of African-American students and faculty members, the inclusion of more local youth on-Grounds and a student-led memorial program for formerly enslaved persons.
“We’re helping to convene people, helping share information,” UCARE Project Director Frank Dukes said. “There’s no way our project separately will do what we need to.”
But the organization needs administrative support first before it can advance its goals, said third-year Architecture student Dylan Hoos, an intern with UCARE.
“We are aware that President Sullivan and the Board of Visitors are making a new strategic plan,” Hoos said. “We would like [the report] to be part of the plan.”
Hoos said the process was a collaborative one, as many community members offered opinions about race relations on Grounds.
“Many people note a disconnect between the community and the University, a sense of fear of the power U.Va. has,” Hoos said.
The organization was waiting for the aftermath of this summer’s leadership crisis to dissipate before releasing the report, Dukes said.
“The report was published in May but we did not do the public release,” he said. “What happened in June just knocked everything off the calendar.”
The announcement of the organization’s grant approval Sunday provided UCARE with the opportunity to release the report to all major University stakeholders, Hoos said.
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