Florida Tech Hosts ‘A Discussion of Race on Campus’

Students, faculty and staff Thursday participated in “Let’s Talk: A Discussion of Race on Campus.”

The event, which drew about 30 socially distanced attendees to the Hartley Room and was viewed by several hundred more on the livestream, featured opening remarks from Florida Tech President T. Dwayne McCay. It was moderated by Kendall Moore, an attorney and community leader who has worked with the university for nearly a decade on its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration and Julius Montgomery Pioneer Award.

McCay opened the event with his recollection of living in Memphis when King was assassinated and the work to strengthen race relations underway at that time.  

“Now, we’re back almost to where we were,” he said. “So, we have an opportunity to start anew. We are here to listen.”

During the hour, Moore led the group through various discussions on race across campus, how the university has done on these matters so far and how to best proceed.

“It starts with open and honest dialogue,” Moore said. “The solutions, the progress, must come from students, faculty, alumni, staff—all the areas and corners of what I am going to call the family of Florida Tech.” 

The discussion, which McCay said is a first for Florida Tech, is among several initiatives the university is undertaking. Others include the development of an African American studies program, diversity training for employees and new educational opportunities for students in the First Year Experience program.

View the full event on Florida Tech’s YouTube channel.