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Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement

Racial Justice Resources

The Rollins community is committed to doing our part to advance racial justice.

Racial Justice & Rollins

We recognize that we haven’t always been part of the solution, and we’re committing to doing better.

A Note to Our Community

Without question, we are deeply saddened and disturbed by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, and the loss of many more black lives across the country. We acknowledge and stand with the individuals using their voices, and we believe in creating a community where everyone feels at home, especially people of color.

As a community, it’s clear there is vital work to do. We recognize that we haven’t always been a part of the solution. We recognize that our history, like much of American education, is rooted in institutionalized racism. And we’re committing to doing better.

We are here to learn, to listen, to convene, to create space for all voices to be heard, and to be part of solutions.

Click here for a reflection from President Cornwell on the Racial and Social Justice Initiatives the Rollins Community has been pursuing this past academic year.

We’re Listening

We know that perhaps the most important work we can do in this time is to listen. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. We’re here to listen.
Share your feedback

Anti-Racism Learning Groups

Last year, Rollins began offering Anti-Racism Learning Groups for members of the campus community. Click here to review the final results of our 20-21 school year anti-racism learning groups survey. 

ACS Anti-Racism Training Grant

Sociology professor Matt Nichter and history professor Claire Strom are part of a multi-campus team that has been awarded an anti-racism grant by Associated Colleges of the South that will allow the participating institutions to hire experts to train campus-based teams on anti-racist policies and initiatives within higher education.
Learn More

Report Bias Incidents Here

We stand in solidarity with those in our Rollins community who have experienced harassment and racist acts. If you experience or witness incidents of discrimination or bias on our campus, report it immediately here or email bias@rollins.edu. More information about the Bias Incident Response Team can be found here.

Education and Reflection

It is also important to take time for personal reflection and education. We’ve curated lists of articles, books, and other media that can be used as tools to deepen your understanding of anti-racism work.

From Rollins Faculty & Staff

Articles

Books

  • Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
  • Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper
  • Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
  • Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
  • Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
  • Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde
  • So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
  • The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
  • The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  • The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century by Grace Lee Boggs
  • The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
  • This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherrie Moraga
  • When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold Story of Racial Inequality in Twentieth Century America by Ira Katznelson
  • White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
  • Heads of the Colored People: Stories by Nafissa Thompson-Spires
  • Women, Race, & Class by Angela Y. Davis
  • At The Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance by Danielle L McGuire
  • Southern Horrors: Women and the Politics of Rape and Lynching by Crystal Nicole Feimster
  • No tea, no shade: New writings in black queer studies edited by E. Patrick Johnson
  • Unapologetic: A Black, queer, and feminist mandate for radical movements by Charlene Carruthers
  • Black Like Us: A Century of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual African American Fiction by Devon Carbado
  • Real Life by Brandon Taylor
  • Romance in Marseille by Claude McKay
  • Freedom in this Village: Twenty-five Years of Black Gay Men’s Writing by E. Lynn Harris
  • Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton 
  • Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
  • One More River to Cross by Keith Boykin
  • Queering the Colorline by Sioban Somerville
  • Brother to Brother: New Writings by Gay Black Men edited by Essex Hemphill

Film & TV

  • A New Color: The Art of Edythe Boone | Olin Library
  • 13th (Ava DuVernay) | Netflix
  • American Son (Kenny Leon) | Netflix
  • Dear White People (Justin Simien) | Netflix
  • If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) | Hulu
  • See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) | Netflix
  • Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 | Available to rent
  • Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) | Available to rent
  • Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) | Available to rent
  • Selma (Ava DuVernay) | Available to rent
  • Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) | Available to rent
  • When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) | Netflix
  • The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution | Available to rent
  • Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson | YouTube
  • Moonlight | Netflix
  • Tangerine | Hulu
  • Bessie | HBO
  • The Watermelon Woman | Amazon Prime
  • Naz and Maalik | Hulu
  • Paris is Burning | Netflix
  • Kiki | Hulu
  • Happy Birthday, Marsha! | Amazon Prime
  • Dear White People | Netflix
  • Orange is the New Black | Netflix
  • Noah's Arc | Logo TV
  • Pose | Netflix
  • Visible: Out on Television | Apple TV

Podcasts

  • 1619 | New York Times
  • About Race
  • Code Switch | NPR
  • Intersectionality Matters! | Hosted by Kimberle Crenshaw
  • Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
  • Pod for the Cause | From The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights
  • The Combahee River Collective Statement

Accounts to Follow

  • Antiracism Center | Twitter
  • Audre Lorde Project | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • Black Women's Blueprint | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • Color of Change | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • Colorlines | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • The Conscious Kid | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • NAACP | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • Showing Up for Racial Justice | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
  • SisterSong | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Mental Health Resources

  • National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network 
    • The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color. Their directory is organized regionally to assist people in identifying a practitioner to work with. 
  • Therapy for Queer People of Color 
    • Therapy for Queer People of Color (QPoC) is a mental health network whose goal is to increase access to quality and inclusive mental healthcare for queer and trans people of color through empowerment & education. Their directory can assist you in finding a therapist in your immediate area. 
  • This article lists several free mental health resources for the Black community, including books, podcasts, directories, and tips on how to seek support. 
  • The Orlando Youth Alliance has a list of counselors and psychologists in the Central Florida area that can be reached here. 

Departments, Organizations, and Services

Black Women’s Circle: Black Women’s Circle is open to any Black-identifying woman who is a staff or faculty member on Rollins campus. The group was created as a supportive space for Rollins employees. We also will cohost events when speakers come to campus and meet with candidates that are interviewing on campus. We also try to support BSU in any endeavors that they are holding. To join, email bwc@rollins.edu.

Black Student Union: BSU welcomes students of all races, ethnicities, and identities to join an inclusive environment on campus and in our community.

Caribbean Student Association: Designed to embrace all Caribbean cultures and nationalities through educating and communication with the Rollins community in order to promote acceptance and understanding.

CAPS: Counseling and Psychological Services at the Wellness Center offers confidential individual and group counseling to students covering a variety of issues that may interfere with academic progress and holistic wellness. CAPS provides crisis intervention on an as-needed basis, as well as outreach, consultation, and referral services.

For mental health emergencies on-campus during Spring and Fall semesters, call or come to the Wellness Center (407-628-6340; 118 W. Fairbanks Ave.) during our regular hours; after hours, call Campus Safety (407-646-2999) or After-Hours Crisis Phone (833-848-1761) to be connected to a counselor. 

Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement: We believe that involvement outside of the classroom is an important and fun part of your Rollins education. In the Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement, we create and foster learning environments for students to gain awareness of self and others, discover leadership as an action and value the responsibility to contribute positively to the campus and greater community.

Diversity Council: The Diversity Council seeks to foster and to model a campus environment that is welcoming, safe, and inclusive to all of our administrators, faculty, staff, and students. They view differences (e.g. nationality, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, physical ability, learning styles, perspectives, etc.) not as obstacles to be overcome but as rich opportunities for understanding, learning, and growth.

Employee Assistance Program: Faculty and staff seeking mental health counseling may call 877-398-5816 or visit resourcesforliving.com.

Lucy Cross Center for Women and Their Allies: Founded in 2010 by dedicated staff, students, and faculty, “the Lucy” was created as a safe and welcoming space to form community, establish networks, and promote social justice.

Olin Library: Check out their #BlackLivesMatter guide here. 

Religious and Spiritual Life: The Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life does everything from making space for religious-specific programming, facilitating interfaith dialogue & work, coordinating educational opportunities to delve into ethical, religious, philosophical, & spiritual subjects, engaging in conflict transformation, and much more.

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.: From seven young educators, Sigma Gamma Rho has become an international service organization comprised of women from every profession. Sigma Gamma Rho offers its members opportunities to develop their unique talents through leadership training and involvement in sorority activities. Sorority activities provide an atmosphere where friendships and professional contacts are developed which often lead to bonds that last a lifetime. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated is always looking for strong, motivated, and hard-working college-educated women of all colors, nationalities, and sexual orientations. For more information, contact your nearest and dearest Pretty Poodle.

Student and Family Care: The Office of Student and Family Care The Office of Student and Family Care serves as a safe setting to listen to student and parent concerns related to navigating college life. Our office is a resource for families, faculty, and staff in supporting students in a holistic way using the Nine Dimensions of Wellness: physical, emotional, social, occupational, creative, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, and financial.

Student Media: In line with Rollins College’s core beliefs, Student Media welcomes any and all students from all kinds of backgrounds and beliefs to share their voice. From opinion articles on the Sandspur to starting your own Podcast on WPRK, Student Media takes pride in its diversity.