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Anti-Racism Statement

Student Wellness Center Anti-Racism Statement

Racism is a public health crisis. Black Lives Matter and Black lives and communities deserve access to affirming, culturally appropriate, and accessible health and well-being education and healthcare. As college health professionals, we are committed to interrogating, challenging, and removing barriers to health and wellness, including those we create or to which we contribute. Dismantling racist systems and building anti-racist programs and services that intentionally support the health and well-being for Black students at UC makes our community healthier and all of our students safer. The Student Wellness Center is committed to dismantling oppressive systems by:

  • Acknowledging and educating the campus community on social determinants of health. We commit to addressing those factors that can impact the health outcomes of UC students.  

  • Taking an empowerment approach to program and service planning, delivery, and assessment whereby we invite students to share needs, provide feedback, and be partners in health promotion and education. 

  • Engaging in the personal racial identity development work of acknowledging and understanding our privilege, working to change our internalized white supremacy, and interrupting racism at all levels when we see it. We will do this through ongoing staff and student training that focuses on how to do anti-racist work.  

  • Ensuring that we create an inclusive environment where all students feel welcome.

  • Fostering an environment where SWC employees and guests can admit their mistakes, grow to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, and respectfully challenge words, actions, or policies that perpetuate racism. 

  • Listening to and amplifying the needs, ideas, and work of our BIPOC students, colleagues, and thought leaders in public health.

  • Committing to examining our partnerships to make sure they align with our anti-racist work and  having conversations with partners to further this work. 

This is not an exhaustive list and is a living document that will change as more information is learned and based on student and community needs.