The SEC announced its Council on Racial Equity and Social Justice on Thursday, consisting of student-athletes, coaches and administrators from around the league.
Texas A&M soccer coach G Guerrieri and Deputy Director of Athletics Michael Thompson were named to the council.
According to a press release from the SEC, the organization’s mission is to “promote racial equality and social justice, while also fostering diversity, helping overcome racism and pursuing non-discrimination in intercollegiate athletics.”
“An important movement has been ignited around the equitable treatment of all underrepresented minorities, and the SEC is determined to be a leader in the pursuit of meaningful and lasting change,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in the release. “With the Council as our guide, we will develop an action agenda built on the foundation that all are created equal and ensure this truth echoes across our stadiums, our arenas, our campuses, our communities, our states and our nation.”
The council will also include members from the SEC’s student-athlete engagement program, which consists of leadership councils for football, men’s and women’s basketball and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
A&M athletes involved in these groups include Andre White Jr. (football), Emanuel Miller (men’s basketball), Ciera Johnson (women’s basketball), Rachel Bernardo (women’s track and field and cross country) and Daria Britton (soccer).
“Today’s youth are our leaders and change agents of tomorrow, and by listening, asking and seeking their insights and counsel, we have begun the shared journey toward racial equality,” Sankey said.
According to the press release, the SEC spent the past several weeks gathering insight from various individuals across its 14 institutions, including presidents and chancellors, directors of athletics, senior female administrators, faculty athletics representatives, head coaches, mental health professionals and the SEC staff.
Based on those discussions, the SEC has created a framework to guide the Council, which will focus on the following strategies:
- Increasing access and representation for underrepresented minorities
- Providing enhanced support for underrepresented minorities
- Improving education on racial and social issues for all stakeholders
- Deepening commitments to local communities
- Raising awareness of racial inquiry and social injustice
For more information on the SEC’s Council on Racial Equity and Social Justice visit secsports.com.
