ABOUT THE GEORGE FLOYD CORNERSTONE FUND

The Underrepresented Minority Faculty of Centre College in Danville, KY are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the Statement of Solidarity and Commitment to Change, drafted by and for faculty and staff. Over 1040 signatories affirmed that Black Lives Matter and that Centre must contend seriously with its history and present inequities. We seek to build on this momentum with the establishment of the George Floyd Cornerstone Fund at Centre College as the first actionable next step in response to the Statement’s important symbolism.  

This Fund commemorates all those who have died as a result of racist actions and policies. Acknowledging the awareness and energy sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd, who was eulogized by the Reverend Al Sharpton as “the cornerstone of a movement,” we establish this fund to facilitate the building of a more inclusive Centre College. Our goal was to raise $20,000 to fund grants distributed through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for programming that contribute directly to the commitments outlined in the Statement. We launched this fundraising effort on Juneteeth—the 155th anniversary of slavery’s effective abolition in the United States—because we recognize that there is still much work to do to achieve true liberation and justice. 

As Underrepresented Minority Faculty, we are acutely aware of the inequities deeply embedded in the structures and culture at Centre, and mourn the experience of every student, faculty, staff, and alumnus who have suffered because of them. Our decision to proceed with a GoFundMe campaign was predicated on our belief that grassroots change is needed at Centre College. 

​This fund will serve to “promote the replacement of oppressive structures in our community,” as promised in the Statement of Solidarity and Commitment to Change. The commitments are specified as:
  • Creating spaces where voices who need to be heard can speak without fear of repercussion. 
  • Supporting vulnerable students, faculty, and staff with humility and respect.
  • Identifying and changing behaviors, policies, and procedures that perpetuate structural racism. 
  • Scrutinizing our own thoughts, words, and actions to do the necessary work to promote equity and inclusivity. 
The George Floyd Cornerstone Fund is designed to give voice, and resources, to those who are prepared to engage in the work of anti-racism at Centre College. Students, faculty, and staff will all be eligible to apply for grants to fund programming that contributes to the commitments described above.

Examples might include:

Students: Funding for leadership training programs and conference travel related to diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism; programming for minority students; anti-racism programming on campus.

Faculty: Funding to reimagine courses and/or curricula in ways that critically engage with diversity and inclusion; to support diversity and anti-racism training; programming to support minority faculty; development of curricular and public programming to confront Centre’s history with respect to slavery and racism.

Staff: Funding to establish a Minority Staff Working Group; support for minority staff programming.

The George Floyd Cornerstone Fund envisions a truly diverse and inclusive campus that affirms the dignity of personhood for all of its members in a way that involves the entirety of the Centre Community.

We are grateful for your support in helping us to transform Centre,
​
Dina Badie & Shana Sippy, co-chairs of the Underrepresented Faculty Council

We wish to acknowledge Rick Axtell, Kristi Burch, Eva Cadavid, Elizabeth Graves, Krista Rinehart, and Candace Wentz for their support in helping us to imagine this fund and establish the frameworks to make it possible. 

Note: The George Floyd Cornerstone Fund was started in coordination with Centre's Development Office but is a separate endeavor, intended to support difference and equity initiatives at Centre College.  All donations made to the Go Fund Me Charity for the George Floyd Cornerstone Fund will be used for the purpose described above.