Black Lives Matter
We are a group of scientists and science fans who came together to share the love of science. Our focus is science education through community outreach, as well as improving accessibility, inclusivity and diversity in science.
We are outraged by the violence and injustice forced on people of color in the US. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Eric Garner and countless others are the result of centuries of pervasive and systemic racism in this country that must be addressed and eradicated. Their pleas for help must be answered.
They can’t breathe.
We are all too aware that scientific institutions are also to blame. There is a heavy-handed history of subjecting Black bodies to atrocities in the name of research. This history is so often washed away by our books, along with the names and accomplishments of so many Black scientists of the past. Today, scientists of color continue to see the legitimacy of their work questioned or ignored, and their funding options more limited than their peers. Science itself fails to address the lack of equity needed to mitigate the disparities seen in health outcomes for the Black community.
They can’t breathe.
Silence is not an option. Inaction is not an option. We will never stop fighting for equality. We will work to make science more inclusive. We will empower the voices of the unheard. We will do everything we can to fight racism in all its forms because we know that #BlackLivesMatter.
“There is no in-between safe space of ‘not racist.’ The claim of ‘not racist’ neutrality is a mask for racism.”
We hope our friends and supporters will join us by educating themselves, by donating their time, and if they can, their money in the following ways:
Supporting black-owned businesses in the greater Tampa Bay and across the country.
Following the work of anti-racist organizations and offering donations to help fight against racism:
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
American Civil Liberties Union
National Bail Fund Network or local bail funds across the US