[GLIMS] Black Lives Matter

[Bruce RAUP]

Hello all,

I share your concerns, Jeff.  I am moved by the protests happening around
the world in response to deplorable events (and crimes) in the US.  One
might think that this is mainly a problem in the US, but the context of the
current problems in the US is a lasting legacy of colonialism and racism
world-wide.  Internationally, we do have many colleagues not descended from
Western Europeans, but you're right that glaciology in the US especially is
not proportionally representative of the general population.

One of the most fundamental things we need to do in the US is to push for
primary and secondary education to be funded by the national government.
Education now varies tremendously by postal code.

Even though the world has rallied to our American cause, I think we need to
be careful in how we talk about this in the international context.  I heard
someone on the radio say "countries of color", which struck me as odd,
US-centric, and paternalistic.  Not that you said anything like that,
Jeff....

Stay tuned here for near-future announcements related to GLIMS and the
Randolph Glacier Inventory.  :-)

Best regards to all (regardless of what you look like, whom you love, or
whether you butter your bread on the top or bottom),

Bruce

2020-06-11, 12:45:  Jeffrey Kargel wrote:

> Dear GLIMS colleagues:
> With the dramatic increase in awareness about race issues in the U.S. and really around the world in the past couple weeks, it has me thinking a lot about our field's racial
> composition, at least that in the U.S. It's very clear that our field is nowhere near being racially representative of the racial diversity in the U.S. and around the world.
> There may be many reasons for that, some out of our control or influence. In my opinion, a lot is in our ability to influence. It would no doubt be a long-term effort to
> improve diversity in our field to where it should be. But are there steps we can do now? If that's a rhetorical question with an obvious answer, then I'd be interested to see
> that some steps are taken. It's not my purpose to elicit your responses, but I do seek more people's quiet introspection and then your personal responses in actions to be
> taken going forward. I know one thing I will do, personally. I will seek out one elementary school and one secondary school and a science teacher in each and just have a
> discussion. Just start there and see where it goes. What can you do? Maybe some can do more than others, and many can do more than I. You don't need to answer me. Just answer
> the question yourself.
> That's my opinion and one of my anguishes in life.
> Sincerely,
> Jeff Kargel
> 
>

-- 
Bruce H. RAUP
National Snow and Ice Data Center
University of Colorado
449 UCB,  Boulder, CO 80309
Phone:  303-492-8814
cires.colorado.edu/~braup/
GLIMS:  www.glims.org