Although I have communicated privately with our student-athletes and staff, I have been slow to speak publicly on the tragedy in Minneapolis and the raw emotion that we have seen on stark display across our country, including here in Champaign-Urbana. My delay has not been because I lack feelings on the issue or because I have nothing to say; to the contrary, it has been because I have such strong feelings and so much to say that I have wrestled with how best to express what is in my heart.

I was raised to believe in the power of the pen, and the written word has always been my preferred outlet. But at moments like these, adding more words to the public discourse seems inadequate – another statement from another white person in a position of power and privilege to be quoted in the media, filed away, and then forgotten. 

Adding a blip in the news cycle will not bring needed change. Change will come only if words are supported by actions, and only if those actions carry forward long after the protests subside, the cameras stop recording, and the media's attention shifts elsewhere. Change will come when no one is watching, when what truly exists in our hearts, minds, and spirits pushes us to undertake the gritty, painstaking steps needed to precipitate a new ideal for equality in America. 

The question, then, is this: what truly is in our hearts? Are we prepared to do the hard work necessary to achieve change after the tragic death of George Floyd has begun to fade from the public consciousness? If we are not, we are destined to repeat history until our country erodes under the current of its own self-righteousness.

To our Black student-athletes and staff, to my Black colleagues, and to my Black friends, teammates, and family, I see you. I hear you. I value you. I know you are hurting, and I understand that your pain, frustration, and anger existed long before the senseless deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, or George Floyd. For many Americans living in the majority, we lack awareness of how our actions unwittingly contribute to these problems, and we confront these issues only when they are forced upon us through public tragedy; you live with them every day.

It was impossible for me to become an agent of change until I acknowledged that I do not, and cannot, know what it feels like to be a person of color living in these United States. I know now that my daughter and son, who look at me with curious, seeking eyes, have a better chance at a successful life because of their skin color. That is the truth, and it is a truth that I cannot accept. The solution is not to push my children down; it is to teach them to be better than their parents so they can lift others up. Systemic racism exists in our country. Until enough of the people who developed and are responsible for maintaining that system admit that, achieving change will be virtually impossible.

As we confront these challenges, I am proud to be associated with two American traditions – higher education and college athletics – that can and must be effective vehicles for change. Our universities have the opportunity to alter the way people think about race in America. The University of Illinois is a place that attempts to celebrate diversity, where people from across the globe come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and learn about and from one another. By instilling in our students an appreciation for difference, an appetite for respectful discourse and debate, and an unvarnished understanding of our nation's challenges, we hope to provide them the tools to lead the way toward a better, more inclusive union.

In college athletics, we strive to champion equality. As we say, "if you can play, you can play." We must use the platform provided us to continue bringing people together from all walks of life, to facilitate conversation, and to encourage critical thought and self-reflection in this important area. In Illinois Athletics, foundational tenets of our organization are diversity and inclusion. We are committed to valuing and celebrating our people for all they are, including their race and ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and physical and mental abilities. We believe a diverse staff and inclusive culture allows us to attract better people, to think more creatively and comprehensively about problems, to identify improved solutions, and, ultimately, to experience greater success.  We must hold ourselves to a standard worthy of being followed.

As I told our student-athletes, change will come when millions of people across the country make individual decisions to be part of the solution. I am only one person. But I am a leader and have been provided a public platform. I pledged to them, as I will pledge to you, that I will work tirelessly to listen, to refine my understanding, and to advocate for a more equal America.

I am encouraged by the work that has already started within the Fighting Illini athletic program. Several years ago, we created a diversity and inclusion committee, which has provided exceptional leadership, especially during these trying times, and spearheaded a variety of diversity initiatives. Last fall, a group of our student-athletes formed EMPOWER, a registered student organization that creates a safe space for student-athletes of color to gather as a community, to encourage dialogue, and to prepare for life beyond athletics. In light of these most recent events, we are conducting small group listening sessions with student-athletes and staff. We will take their feedback and develop programming that addresses their needs. I am committed to seeing this important work continue long into the future.

I leave you with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the famed philosopher who grew into a staunch abolitionist, "Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying." The rhetoric has reached a crescendo. Now it is time we let our actions do the talking.