To our CIAS community,

We, the staff at UW-Madison CIAS, are reaching out in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others. We have been observing, and also participating in, the global uprisings protesting police violence against communities of color. We do so with great sadness, but also with hope in this time of increased awareness.

Working at a research center with a history of promoting food sovereignty, environmental justice, and equitable access to good food and markets for entrepreneurs, we are committed to using our resources to actively promote and support racial justice in the food system.

We also know we must do more, and do it strategically to redesign failed systems.

We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and condemn police violence. We are using this opportunity to examine how to increase our efforts to promote racial and social equity and justice in our food system, in our research and outreach, and at our institution. We join with others at UW-Madison in supporting Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s message to the community.

Moving forward, we resolve to bring an increased commitment to justice to our ongoing work in food sovereignty, helping beginning farmers, access to markets, and other projects in food and agriculture. We also look to you for ways we can redouble our efforts to address systemic racism in the food system. If you have suggestions for ways the Center’s work can contribute to a more equitable and just food system, we would like to hear your thoughts.

In peace and solidarity,
The staff at CIAS