End Polite Silence™ is a trademark slogan created by Carol Tonge Mack, an educator, Black feminist, student advocate, and Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. The Coalition founders were inspired by Dean Mack’s message and obtained permission to use the End Polite Silence™ slogan as their source of inspiration. Coalition members wear their End Polite Silence t-shirts Fridays to draw attention to the movement. Visit erasingtheisms.org to purchase a shirt and learn more about Dean Mack’s work.
UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA) is a cross-campus network of staff and faculty committed to dismantling white supremacy by doing work to support calls to action by Black-led organizations at the University of Cincinnati.
As individuals committed to dismantling white supremacy, we learn from existing resources how to combat systemic racism, explore complicity, become better allies, and help others do the same. Further, we work collaboratively with Black-led organizations to illuminate and challenge policies and practices that exclude, harm, or otherwise hinder the success of Black students, alumni, staff, faculty, and community partners. We write letters, speak at meetings and events, participate in demonstrations, and otherwise advocate policies and practices that support calls to action by Black-led organizations at the University of Cincinnati.
UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA or “the coalition”) was founded in 2020 by a group of mostly white colleagues who signed a Pledge to Dismantle White Supremacy Within Ourselves and Our Institutions (must have a UC email address to access.) Here are some of the early signers who emerged as Coalition leaders (2020-2022):
Aware of the danger of well-meaning white folks organizing to address systemic racism at UC (focused on anti-Black racism), we sought guidance from Black colleagues. We were especially grateful for this perspective:
Understanding that truth, we sought formal consultants who would serve 2-year terms. In addition, several colleagues served as informal consultants. Insight and perspective from formal and informal consultants always has and always will inform action items.
While we aim to attract members across identity groups and work collaboratively with any organization working to advance racial equity, our focus remains:
Since 2021, we have embraced the call to End Polite Silence as our central call to action. The movement to End Polite Silence was initiated by Carol Tonge Mack, Assistant Dean of Student Success in Arts & Sciences. Carol began the movement to End Polite Silence as part of her healing journey after being targeted in a racist cartoon circulated on September 18, 2013.
The cartoon portrayed her and Ron Jackson, the first Black Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences as dangerous authoritarians threatening the “quality” of the institution.
What happened next is what often happens: black students, staff, and faculty rallied to provide support and advocate for change while most of us remained politely silent.
If you aren’t negatively affected by racism, you may be disinclined to believe it exists. If you are affected by racism, you may be disinclined to talk about it because who will have your back?
As an organization housed within UC’s Center for Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation, we do not argue the existence of racism at UC. Rather, seek opportunities to collaboratively advocate for accountability and changes to policies, practices, and behaviors that perpetuate racial disparities in who enters and advances at UC. Learn more about the TRHT Framework.
UC’s Coalition is led by Co-Chairs MK Lamkin (Undergraduate Research) and Keith Lanser (Center for Community Engagement). Amy Koshoffer (UC Libraries), Suzanne Buzek (Lindner College of Business), Eric Jenkins (School of Communication, Digital Media, and Film Studies), and Mikaila Corday (UC Libraries) lead communication efforts. Other members are called on as needed to support particular action items.
Staff and faculty join the Coalition by signing a pledge. Each year, Coalition leaders revisit, revise, and recirculate the pledge. By revisiting and revising the pledge, we continually improve how we communication the purpose of the Coalition and the role of members. Signing a pledge annually provides members the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the work and their commitment to it.
SIGN THE 2023-24 PLEDGE TO CHALLENGE WHITE SUPREMACY WITHIN MY SPHERE OF INFLUENCE (must have a University of Cincinnati email address to access)
Review previous pledges (must have a UC email address to access):
Read our Newsletters:
Reflections on Public Apology in Nursing; Angela Davis’ presentation for Cincinnati’s National Day of Racial Healing, an interview with Will Umphres, & more.
Comments on the Petition for Racially Just Leadership in Nursing, the Race & Racism in Cincinnati Docuseries, 28 Days of Black History events, Marion Spencer Awards and more.
Context and Agenda for End Polite Silence Event, Comments from outgoing Co-Chair Trent Pinto and in-coming co-Chair Keith Lanser, and more.
Reflections on Native American Heritage Month and our Nov 15th Coalition meeting, and upcoming events on campus
End of Year summary of CARA events and around campus events
View our Member List (updated regularly)
PLEDGE TO CHALLENGE WHITE SUPREMACY WITHIN MY SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
Sign the Pledge to become a member of UC's Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA).
BACKGROUND
Since the Quadres in the 1930s, Black scholar-activists at UC have been working to convince a predominantly white administration, faculty, staff, and student body that racism at UC is real, that it hurts, and that change is needed1,2,3,4.
While our institution does a good job listening and accommodating activists’ aesthetic demands (e.g., renaming buildings; investing in diversity programs), it has been averse to naming and challenging the source of systemic racism at UC: white supremacy.
Because that which remains unnamed and unchallenged remains unchanged, UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA) is calling on you and colleagues across the institution to challenge white supremacy within your sphere of influence.
For example:
• Despite decades-long diversity efforts, Black faculty, staff, and students remain alarmingly underrepresented in many departments. To challenge white supremacy within your sphere of influence is to challenge the conditions that socially reproduce underrepresentation.
• Despite demands for campus-wide participation in a racial awareness training1, few are required to learn about race and racism. To challenge white supremacy within your sphere of influence is to pursue and advocate for racial awareness, especially drawing on perspectives and knowledge produced by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color.
• Despite calls for widespread cultural competency and accountability2,3,4, microaggressions, exclusion, and other forms of cultural incompetency commonly go unchallenged. To challenge white supremacy within your sphere of influence is to develop inclusive behaviors, pursue accountability for your missteps, and cultivate a culture of accountability.
Deconstructing systems built on white supremacy and reconstructing them with racial equity is only possible with systemwide commitment to transformation. While that commitment may not exist in all spaces, it can be cultivated. Together, we can motivate meaningful change.
In 2020, UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA) formed as a “cross-campus network of staff and faculty doing work to support calls to action by Black-led organizations.” In 2021, Assistant Dean Carol Tong Mack (Arts & Sciences) permitted the Coalition to embrace her movement to End Polite Silence™ as our central call to action. In 2022, we gained a home within UC’s Center for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, which is part of a network of 75+ such centers across the nation. Today, we are 260+ staff and faculty from nearly all units across the university engaging in self-work, education, and advocacy. While our efforts center collaborative action with Black students and colleagues, we collaborate with other identity groups as well.
EXPECTATIONS OF SIGNERS
Signers are provided the option of joining UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA) as a “Member” or “Friend”.
Members will be identified as CARA members on our web page.
Friends are like members but are not added to our web page. We provide this option for those who are not comfortable identifying as a member on our web page.
We strongly encourage returning and new CARA affiliates to sign as members rather than friends. While we understand that some people may be in the early stages of their advocacy journey, change cannot be made until we all stand up together. Anonymity does a disservice to those who do not have the privilege of choosing to be seen.
Whether joining as a member or friend, the work of individuals may take the form of:
• Individual learning.
• Helping others learn.
• Drawing attention to a need.
• Informing your unit about the Coalition (wear/display your button or shirt).
• Organizing for change in your unit.
• Calling on the Coalition for support, guidance, or assistance.
• Responding to calls to action put forward by the Coalition (e.g., signing a petition, supporting a letter, showing up to an event).
Members may also support CARA’s organizational needs by:
• Helping with events.
• Making and distributing buttons.
• Outreach to staff, faculty, and student groups.
• Helping with the newsletter, social media, or web page.
• Writing letters and making statements.
• Leading a discussion or reading/media group.
• Strategizing with a unit or another organization.
• Helping us develop economic resources (we seek stipends for consultants, graduate assistant support, and more).
PLEDGE
I, the undersigned employee at the University of Cincinnati (UC), recognize systemic racism as a normalized manifestation of white supremacy expressed in the form of ideas, behaviors, policies, and practices that disproportionately exclude, harm, or otherwise hinder the success of Black and other people of color. I therefore pledge to challenge white supremacy within my sphere of influence.
For the 2023-24 academic year, I pledge to do the following to challenge white supremacy within my sphere of influence at UC:
SIGN THE PLEDGE
Signers must provide their first name (preferred), last name (preferred), UC email address, and whether they prefer to be a “member” or “friend” of UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA). Responses to additional questions are optional.
Colleagues of all roles, ranks, disciplines, identities, and backgrounds are invited to participate. The pledge will be revisited in one year, after which it will be revised and recirculated to deepen our commitment.
• First Name* (pronouns)
• Middle Name (Optional)
• Last Name*
• UC Email Address (in the form of lastnafn@ucmail.uc.edu)*
• College or Division
• Department or Program
• How do you prefer to be affiliated with UC’s Coalition for Anti-Racist Action (CARA)?
• Coalition Member
• Coalition Friend
Are you interested in any of the following tasks that support organizational needs?
• Helping with events.
• Making and distributing buttons.
• Outreach to staff, faculty, and student groups.
• Helping with the newsletter, social media, or web page.
• Writing letters and making statements.
• Leading a discussion or reading/media group.
• Strategizing with a unit or another organization.
• Helping us develop economic resources (we seek stipends for consultants, graduate assistant support, and more).
Please provide additional comments here.
REFERENCES
1. Irate8. 2015. Let Us Help YOU SEE. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-H-maD2MUA
2. Black Round Table. 2020. Action Items for UC Administration. Unpublished.
3. Rieselman, D. 2020. African American Heritage at UC. UC Magazine, May 2020. UC Relations, Cincinnati, OH. https://magazine.uc.edu/issues/0500/legends.html
4. Nurse Justice. 2023. Petition for Racially Just Leadership for the UC College of Nursing! https://change.org/racially-just-leadership-for-the-uc-college-of-nursing
5. Saad, LF. 2020. Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Be a Good Ancestor. Sourcebooks. Naperville, IL.
6. Kendi, IX. 2019. How to Be an Antiracist. Bodley Head, London, England.
7 Lanier, NR. 2023. Five-day Racial Equity Challenge: https://www.tiktok.com/@nikki_lanier/video/7269434137415617838
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work is made possible by scholars and activists at UC who have produced and shared knowledge, understanding of human experience, and models for advocacy and organizing for racial justice.
