The Big West announced Monday evening the formation of a standing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, composed of one administrator and one student athlete from each of the Big West’s 11 participating universities.
🚨 The #BigWest announces the formation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 ⏩ Together we will work to combat racism, fight for social justice, support BLM and other nonviolent orgs.
Full Release 🔗 https://t.co/ZDCToGNxw3 pic.twitter.com/Hi8d5uUGWb
— Big West Conference (@BigWestSports) September 14, 2020
Under the name Big West Undivided, the committee is supporting Black Lives Matter and similar organizations and will operate under four principles: education, empowerment, accountability and change.
Institutions involved include Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State University Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State University Northridge, University of California Irvine, University of California Riverside, University of California San Diego, University of Santa Barbara, and the University of Hawaii.
The committee will work with the conference’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee in the coming months to encourage voter participation and registration.
Big West Undivided co-chairman Earl Edwards said in a statement he is excited and honored to be selected to co-run the committee.
Long Beach State’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee is scheduled to have its first official meeting at the end of the month.
The Big West Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, has held three prior meetings and is expected to meet monthly to encourage student athletes to take active participation in raising their voices upon social injustice issues.
Julia Terbeche, news editor, contributed to this article.