UC Cooperative Extension

Our nation has been shaken by the tragic death of yet another unarmed Black man, George Floyd. This brutal event, followed by protests by those who are grieving, has now led to a level of violence that has been shocking. A great many of us are experiencing pain, fear, anger and hopelessness. To those partners, clients and friends of UC ANR who have suffered from racism and oppression, we stand with you and with everyone who stands against racism, racial profiling, police brutality and injustice.

I strongly support the  statement released by President Napolitano and Regents’ Chair John Perez  on behalf on the UC system. Among other points, it recognizes that silence is complicity: “No matter how difficult, we must individually and collectively reflect on the lives lost unnecessarily, and address head on the systemic problems and challenges we all face as a society.”  President Napolitano further stated that one of UC’s bedrock principles is “…that all people are equal and deserve to be treated fairly and respectfully. We all deserve to live, work and go about our lives without fear."

We are dedicated to being part of the solution, in alignment with the  UC ANR Principles of Community , by confronting racism and working to help create the open and equitable society that we are all entitled to. California's strength is its diversity and our UC ANR mission has always been to serve all segments of the state's population. Whether we are helping farmers reach new markets, preparing our youth to participate in civic engagement, helping limited-resource families improve their nutrition, or working in any of our other  wide-ranging programs , our goal is to help make a positive difference in the lives of all Californians.

As we confront the challenges of a pandemic and widespread civil unrest, we are thinking deeply about how we can best help our communities during this time and into the future. However, our mission can never fully come to fruition if Black Americans and other historically victimized groups continue to suffer hatred and bias. All of us at UC ANR are deeply committed to our mission and look forward to working with you to build a healthy, peaceful and prosperous California for all.