We are outraged by the countless deaths of Black people at the hands of police officers and citizens caused by a system that treats Black people as expendable. 

Words alone cannot do justice to the centuries of trauma and violence that racism has inflicted, and continues to inflict, upon Black people and communities in the United States. However, we also recognize that silence is itself a message, and this moment compels us to speak out and state our beliefs. 

As many students across the nation and world engage as citizens and leaders in protesting violence against Black communities, we affirm their rights and freedoms to peacefully protest. We stand in solidarity with these students and support their work to end systemic racism in this country. Students who exercise their rights by peacefully protesting will not have their chances of admission compromised.
    
Words are best accompanied by action, and we are encouraged by the work that alumni(ae), students, faculty, staff and other affiliates of Harvard University are doing to move us further toward equity for Black people and other marginalized groups. We acknowledge that this work has gone on for far longer than the current moment, and has become catalyzed by these recent tragedies. As the Admissions and Financial Aid Office of Harvard College, we will continue to champion the profound importance of diversity in higher education, and advance educational equity and access, while also humbly acknowledging that there is always more to do.  

We commit to engaging more deeply in anti-racism work to support our work in admissions and financial aid and in hiring, professional development, and promotions within our office. This will include supporting the ongoing availability of anti-racism and implicit bias training in addition to resources and space for staff to engage in meaningful conversations around racism and the role of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work. In addition, we remain committed to inclusive admissions and financial aid committees.

We stand with the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Robert Fuller, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, Toyin Salau, Derrick Scott, Breonna Taylor, and the countless others. We stand with our Black alumni(ae), our Black faculty, our Black staff, our Black students, and other Black members of the Harvard community. We stand with Black people around the nation, and we unequivocally state our belief that Black Lives Matter. 

To learn more about the experiences of the Black community and show your solidarity, we encourage you to visit the anti-racism resources on the Harvard Office for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging website.

In solidarity,
The Harvard College Office of Admissions & Financial Aid