Being a sponsor for EmbRace is an honour. I am proud to work at LSE and even prouder to work with you as your sponsor to make our School more diverse and inclusive. I know there is much more that we have to do and I want to meet with the EmbRace Committee to hear and listen to your concerns and ideas to:
- Learn more as a white ally and how as a sponsor and SMC member I can help share these learnings widely
- Provide two-way communication between EmbRace and SMC to ensure transparency and openness in decision making
- Support EmbRace and act as an advisorm working with the Chair(s) in particular to help EmbRace advocate for all our Global Majority staffm connecting members with the means to bring about change.
I do not believe in words without action. I will help you to distribute information about your work and support you by:
- Attending EmbRace events whenever I can, asking SMC colleagues to do the same
- Encouraging staff from across LSE to join you in your workm whatever their background. I will also contribute personally whenever possible
- Championing your initiatives at SMC, including the pursuit of initiatives intended to improve opportunities, representation and lives experiences of Global Majority staff and students at LSE
We want to hear as many of your views as possible and I welcome your contributions and ideas - please contact edi@lse.ac.uk to raise your suggestions and concerns around what we need to do.
We are not going to change LSE overnight, but we can commit to investing in long-term systemic change, with meaningful actions underpinning a race-specific strategic plan. I would like to learn more by listening to and hearing the views of all global majority staff and students across our School, including those who are not formally part of EmbRace but whose voices are often not heard. As your sponsor I want to work with you to understand how to make this happen both now and in the future.
Andrew Young, Chief Operating Officer