The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and subsequent protests highlight the racism and inequities in this country, in particular anti-Blackness. For AMS members of color, these events highlight the marginalization and exacerbate the fear and frustration they live with each day based solely on the color of their skin. We acknowledge the pain our Black and African American community members are experiencing and hope our solidarity relieves a small part of the weight of that pain. In the AMS community, we promise to continue doing all we can to challenge and change systems of inequity that perpetuate racism and bias within our community.
Our Board of Women and Minorities has been a focal point for our efforts in this area and the Colour of Weather Reception brings many of us together annually to discuss challenges and celebrate successes. And, recently we created the Culture and Inclusion Cabinet designed to help us continue to create a culture of inclusion where all belong. Fulfilling our vision though does not just fall to the few that are engaged in these efforts. Rather, we are all called to stand up when we see racial injustice and to understand our own implicit biases and how those impact our colleagues. Only in this way can we break down the structure of systemic racism and inequities and best serve society with our science.
Mary Glackin
President, American Meteorological Society
https://perception.org/
https://equity.ucla.edu/know/