A New Hope for Black History: Prospering Together

Dear Campus Community, 

Southern summers hit hard. The heat, humidity and air so thick you could cut it with a knife. When I was young, many found respite in the form of public pools which served as bastions of relief, joy, laughter and community — for those who were allowed access. 

It wasn’t until the abolition of Jim Crow laws that we had hope to see desegregated pools enjoyed by all — or so we thought. 

With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 many municipalities had their pools shuttered. Closed. Drained and filled with cement instead of integrating pools to unite people across the nation. Fearful civic leaders preferred for no one to enjoy a pool rather than see them open to all. It was a lose-lose situation. A zero-sum travesty that cost millions of families a center of joy and community.   

This was just one of many ways I experienced racism’s cost on my community, memories which were brought to mind when reading our CPP Common Read, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together.” Author Heather McGhee exposes the many ways in which this zero-sum mentality affects each of us today while bringing to light how racism has drained the investment in our nation’s public good, from pools to healthcare and even education.   

McGhee talks about a past and present that I’ve lived through, and she also envisions a future I still one day hope to see: a future that my grandmother and stepfather, who was a Southern Baptist minister, fought for and one that we strive to create here at Cal Poly Pomona. One where we recognize the gains that come when people of all backgrounds unite to accomplish what we can’t do on our own. To prosper together.   

Black History Month reminds us to celebrate the accomplishments of Blacks in America and to recognize how far we still have to go to truly undo the obstacles that Black Americans and other marginalized communities still face today.   

If you have not already, I invite you to dive into these realities by picking up “The Sum of Us,” which you can find at the University Library and the Bronco Bookstore, and meet Heather during our Common Read Author Keynote on Monday, Feb. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Bronco Student Center, Ursa Major.   

I also encourage you to participate in the events taking place on campus this month and engage with our organizations, such as the Black Resource Center, the Black Alumni and Friends chapter, the Black Men of Excellence and the Black Thriving Initiative. 

While we have come a long way, there is still much more work to be done. The time has come for us to recognize what racism costs all of us and to pursue solutions that ensure all of us can prosper together. 

Sincerely,

Soraya M. Coley, Ph.D.
President