Alumni Committee on Racial & Ethnic Diversity

The Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity is dedicated to serving Carolina’s multi-cultural communities by engaging diverse alumni in the life of the university, and forging deeper and lasting relationships between Carolina and its racially and ethnically diverse constituents.

Four sub-committees—the African American, Asian American, Latino and American Indian—join together to generate new leadership roles and funding opportunities critical to Carolina’s ambition to lead all public universities into the future of true excellence in higher education.

Carolina’s student body becomes more diverse with each entering class, creating a richer and more dynamic academic experience for all students. Every group is unique in its history, traditions, background and experiences, but all are woven together to form the very fabric of this great institution.

We invite you to reconnect with your Carolina experience and to discover today’s university as well by becoming involved with the committee’s efforts.

For updates from the University with a focus on diversity initiatives and events, visit the Celebrating Carolina’s Diversity page on Facebook and visit our newsletter on the web.

Welcome from the Chair

Greetings ACRED Members,

It is a tremendous honor to serve as the Chair of ACRED. I thank my predecessor, Lucrecia R. Moore, ‘92 for all of her dedication and hard work on behalf of ACRED and our University. I look forward to following Lucrecia’s great example. The opportunity to help lay out a path for growth and development for our committee’s work and the future work of our university is one I fully embrace. Also, knowing the commitment and vision of our Vice Chair, Lou Patalano, our subcommittee chairs, and each of our ACRED members reassures me ACRED will continue its tradition of philanthropy, service, leadership, and advocacy. ACRED members bring unique and highly specialized tools, skills, perspectives, and stories to each of our meetings. I never fail to be impressed with your capacity, agency, and heart.

As ambassadors of our University and leaders within our fields we will carry on our efforts to raise awareness and build a diverse and strong Carolina community required of a “flagship” public university. While our base is fundraising, our heart will remain committed to motivating Carolina’s continued growth as a place for all people.The first initiative of Carolina Next, the University’s strategic framework, is “Build Our Community Together” and we hope our work as a development committee will make an impact in supporting its objectives: Invest in policies, systems, and infrastructure that promote belonging, community, and transparency throughout the University community. We will promote the educational benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion through effective student recruitment, enrollment, retention, and graduation. Our endeavors will prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion in teaching, research, and service, and in hiring, evaluation, retention and promotion of underrepresented faculty and staff.In addition to helping our university community, I will also strive to make ACRED a space where we can learn with and from each of our four subcommittee’s rich and unique history, values, traditions, and dreams. By knowing and understanding each other more authentically, we will better promote the work of each of our sub committees.Thank you for your commitment to serving and engaging our diverse community. I look forward to the great things that we will accomplish this year.

Sincerely,
Virginia L. Cárdenas, ‘98, ‘06
ACRED Chair

Read the UNC ACRED Leadership Letter re: Nikole Hannah-Jones

ACRED Statement on Celebrating Diversity

We, the members of the Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill support the Chancellor, the office of Diversity and Inclusion and other campus leaders who have condemned the continued acts of violence against Black people. Like our University leadership, we join those calling for transparency and accountability.

While admitting that our own university has a tainted history, we welcome the voices of our students, staff, and alumni in reflecting on current and past practices in order to develop a safe, respectful, welcoming, and kind community of learning that recognizes that much is still left to do.

The Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity is dedicated to serving Carolina’s multi-cultural communities by engaging diverse alumni in the life of the University and forging deeper and lasting relationships between UNC and its diverse constituents.

We celebrate the value that diversity brings to Carolina and we respect and support those working to bring healing, equity and justice for all Americans.

In unity,

Lucrecia Moore, ACRED Chair 2018-2021
Virginia Cardenas, ACRED Vice Chair 2018-2021

Download a printable copy of this statement here.