As the fight against systemic racism and social injustices continues, Middlebury College Athletics affirms that Black lives matter. We recognize that being Black in the United States of America means living every day with fear. Our Black students, athletes, staff, and coaches are an integral part of our community and it is our collective responsibility to actively address the attitudes, behaviors, policies, and practices that perpetuate racism and racist violence.
 
We must continue to support our Black community members through our mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We all must do the work necessary to effect real change. We are committed to that work. Ensuring that Middlebury is a welcoming, inclusive, and safe space for Black students, staff, and faculty is a top priority of the College and of the Middlebury Athletics.

What We've Been Working On

Though our Athletics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee has existed for several years, in the wake of George Floyd's murder we recognized and acknowledged our need to serve our Black student-athletes better. Since then, our committee and members of our department have worked to create real change within our athletics community and on campus.  There is still a lot of work to do, and we are developing sustainable plans to ensure this work continues.  

"As a current student-athlete who identifies as a person of color, I believe that Middlebury's Athletic Department has taken a leading role in promoting dialogue about racial justice, specifically surrounding Black Lives Matter, on campus," said Ellie Thompson '22. "The collaboration between coaches, faculty, and student-athletes has been integral to the department's—and by extension, the greater Middlebury community's—success in engagement and education. Continuing to tap into this synergy will be imperative for the Athletic Department as we continue to have authentic dialogue and see these conversations transcend into tangible actions to cultivate safe spaces and support for Middlebury's Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) student-athletes."

Below are just a few of the major initiatives we have been working on that we would like to share with you. 

• We have welcomed uncomfortable, authentic conversations into our everyday lives with our new series, Leaning Into Discomfort. By having these conversations and sharing some of them with our community, it is our hope that we will normalize talking about aspects of identity such as race, sexual orientation, gender and ability. We also hope to address how our identities impact our lived experience, including how others perceive and engage with us. 
• We have hosted several workshops and trainings for our staff and faculty on anti-racism, utilizing an alumni consultant, as well as members of the Middlebury Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Additionally, many individual teams have conducted team-specific training through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. 
• The Student-Athletes of Color organization was founded in 2017 and has been active within our community. This year, SAOC officially became a student organization. Jourdon Delerme-Brown '20.5 and Thompson '22, both members of the DEI Committee and co-presidents of SAOC, have worked hard to provide a supportive network for all of our student-athletes of color. Jeff Brown, head men's basketball coach, longtime member of the DEI Committee and the NCAA and NESCAC liaison for DEI, serves as the organization's mentor.  

"The Student-Athletes of Color organization cultivates the best version of Middlebury's community by acknowledging our differences and by celebrating the ways we can come together," said Delerme-Brown. "The progress SAOC has made over my four years at Middlebury reflects the potential of an amazing network everyone dedicated themselves to building."

• The DEI Committee has developed an inclusivity logo that we hope will become a campus icon, serving as a reminder and representation of all of the diverse groups we serve.  

 

• We created a comprehensive Anti-Racism Resources Guide that is updated regularly. 
• The DEI Committee has expanded to ensure that we are a truly diverse group. Of our 12 members, we represent several races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and roles at Middlebury. 

Our Future

We understand that anti-racism is not a one-time training. It has to be deliberate, sustained work that embeds into our daily lives. Middlebury Athletics is committed to continue showing up and expanding our breadth of work until our mission of eradicating racism has become a reality. 

In the coming months, we will continue all of the initiatives stated above. Middlebury has partnered with the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and all of its members, partaking in the 21-day Allyship Challenge which builds individual skills in becoming a better ally.

There are many other conversations taking place about additional sustained actions that we can take to align with our missions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

As we look ahead, we welcome all suggestions and participation in this work. This cannot be done alone or by a few committee members. We need every single member of the Middlebury Athletics community and beyond to commit to doing this work together. 

Conclusion

We are hopeful about the direction the Middlebury Athletic Department is heading. We continue to be inspired every day by Middlebury's students and their passion and energy for this important work. 

We firmly believe that, together, we can create lasting change on campus, with rippling effects outside of our community. Because Black Lives Matter.