Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Across Campus

“If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together”

– Lilla Watson

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”

–James Baldwin

“Let us own our responsibility, place it in our hands and carry it with dignity and strength”

–Gloria Anzaldúa

Salem State University is committed to the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion together incorporate equitable practices and inclusive environments with justice work to dismantle structural barriers and to support minoritized groups and individuals. We aim to foster an inclusive community anchored by our diverse identities, intersectional justice, and inclusive excellence. We are dedicated to creating programs, policies, and opportunities to further diversity, equity, and inclusion for our students, staff, and faculty at the university and in the world.

The summer of 2020 was a catalyst to reaffirm our commitment to the values of inclusivity, decency, and the dignity of all people. We must uphold a standard of care and respect in both words and actions that lives up to our values and our institutional diversity statement, where we all commit that Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are part of our mission, history, community, academics, and our future.

Justice delivers on the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness and equity. It is our duty to challenge prejudice and promote justice in all aspects of our community, from university policies and procedures to classroom practices.

Equity requires recognition of the different needs and conditions that mark our lives and ongoing effort to identify and overcome intentional and unintentional barriers arising from systemic, structural bias and inequality. Equity work identifies and strives to end systemic racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism, and more.

Diversity ensures and celebrates the representation of different experiences and identities related to such things as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, and religion.

Inclusion means actively creating a sense of belonging and amplifying all voices, especially those who have faced historic challenges and exclusions.

Together, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion incorporate equitable practices and inclusive environments with justice work to dismantle structural barriers and to support diverse identities and communities.