A Message from BTC Executive Council

Dear Blackhawk family,

Like many of you, we have been so troubled by recent events in our nation. Our hearts break for the fact that people of color everywhere continue to be subjected to racism, bigotry, prejudice, and fear. This behavior goes against our core values of fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Frankly, this behavior will not be tolerated at Blackhawk Technical College.

While we know that an email will not bring back George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless others who have brutally and violently lost their lives too soon, we are committed to partnering with all of you to facilitate meaningful social change. As an executive team of a predominately white institution, we know there is significant work to be done in this area. Together, there are things we can do to stop racism and hate. All people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. This is a time to work together to support and understand one another, not a time to further the divide.

At Blackhawk, we are striving to create an environment where all voices can be shared and heard. As an educational institution, we have a responsibility to our students, employees, and community to be a part of the solution. Today, and always, we stand in solidarity with the black community; specifically our students and employees. We say to all of you that Black Lives Matter.

As an executive team, we recognize that many of us are deeply hurting right now. Together, we want to embark on intentional, sustainable action to improve our learning and working environment. Here are a few things to note about our efforts at Blackhawk:

• We are proud of our Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement programs that encourage community service over militarization. As we continue to train the next generation of law enforcement, we are committed to a program that weaves diversity, equity, respect, and integrity into our curriculum.
• We are moved by the work of student organizations such as Men of Color, Multi-Cultural Alliance, and Crecer to help students of diverse backgrounds navigate higher education and prepare for the workforce.
• We pledge to support our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Committee to help them plan and launch initiatives vital to this work. In the days ahead, the committee will be announcing opportunities to bring us together for meaningful conversation, dialogue, and action toward sustained change for BTC.

We may not always get it right, but you will always fail what you don’t start. Today we stand as a unified executive team against the racial injustice that is rampant in our society. There is an African Proverb that states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” We have a lot of work to do, and together we can do better and we can be better.

Sincerely,