Statement on Black Lives Matter

The Appalachian Studies Association stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and with those protesting the horrific murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Sean Reed, James Scurlock, and many other Black Americans.

We acknowledge that ASA is an overwhelmingly majority white association. We admit that we have upheld structural inequalities within our organization and have not taken sufficient action to address our involvement in systemic racism. In accordance to our mission of promoting and engaging dialogue, research, scholarship, education, creative expression, and action among a diverse and inclusive group of scholars, we offer the following immediate plans to change the future of our organization:

• We will follow up with cancelled 2020 conference programming that specifically focused on Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities and encourage these submissions to return to ASA 2021.

• We will listen and provide spaces for conversation at the 2021 conference that focuses on raising the voices of BIPOC including queer, trans, disability, and immigrant populations.

• We will share resources on our website about how to effectively build and maintain allyship with Black Lives Matter.

• We will listen to feedback from our BIPOC members and act upon how we can empower these voices further.

We stand with those in the streets and march alongside you. Let it be clear as to which side we’re on as we continue to raise our voices in the streets, hills, and hollers of the mountains and beyond to empower the oppressed against the injustices that still exist.