"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others."
-- from the 1963 book "Strength to Love" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We have been silent too long. While we cannot change the past, we can pledge to use our powerful voices to condemn racial injustice, inequality and violence and call out acts of racism – no matter how big or how small – on our UCF campus, in our community, in our country. The tragic actions that led to the death of George Floyd last week make that more important and necessary than ever before.
There are many in our UCF Athletic community who are in pain, and so we must also listen and empathize. We can provide a safe haven – free from judgment – to hear what we don't know. We can promise to stand together. We can support and amplify the voices of those who are hurting, when they are outraged, when they are scared. We must be determined to never stay silent, never look the other way, never ignore injustice again.
The world won't change overnight because there are some who believe things are fine -- but they aren't. When members of Knight Nation, our community and our country feel marginalized, we must work as hard as we can – in any way that we can -- to rectify that. We must be allies for each other, we must stand in solidarity, we must speak out.
We can do better. We must do better. We will do better.
--UCF Athletics--