Dedicated to the Advancement of Literature and Literary Studies

PCEA STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY
 
The board members of the Pennsylvania College English Association (PCEA) wish to express our support for the victims of violence and hatred in the recent past, including but certainly not limited to: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless others who have been disenfranchised, oppressed, targeted, and killed. This statement serves to publicly condemn and reject the social injustices that people of color systematically suffer from and live with on a daily basis.  This statement also signals PCEA’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement and our commitment to do better in recognizing and redressing social injustice, particularly as it impacts our role as educators.
 
We believe that literature and pedagogy have the power to open people’s eyes to new and different perspectives, as well as to build empathy with others. We remain committed to enacting social justice on our campuses and in our communities, and we support those who are working to achieve justice by addressing systemic inequalities. Further, we recognize that words without actions are often empty gestures, and to that end, we commit to the following acts:
 
We will continue to support our students and colleagues who strive to create more equitable learning environments and opportunities.

We invite you to stand in solidarity with us and we urge our membership to help us shape the future of the organization as we strive to be more socially just and inclusive.