Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda
Support the AgendaThe University of Louisville prides itself on celebrating diversity and fostering equity in order to achieve inclusion. We follow the Cardinal Principles, which promote our commitment to each other and to our community.
But we need to do more. At this important moment in our nation’s history, we pledge to take a stand against the systemic racism that continues to impact all of us, particularly our Black students, faculty and staff, and other stakeholders of color and from historically marginalized groups. We will take concrete action to lead to much-needed change on campus and in our community.
We will become a premier anti-racist metropolitan research university.
This site will highlight the historic steps, current and ongoing initiatives, and future actions enacted or needed to help us achieve this goal.
Together, we will drive needed change to strengthen all of us personally, professionally and collectively for years to come.
Our Commitments
Principles lay the foundation for our progress
At a pivotal point in our nation’s history, our Cardinal Principles propel us to not just act, but to lead. This belief system is the foundation on which we build our future.
Read the Cardinal PrinciplesLocal higher ed presidents commit to end racial inequality
The president of UofL and other local universities pledged their ongoing commitment to finding solutions to end racial inequality.
Read their pledgeUofL announces plan to become ‘premier anti-racist metropolitan research university’
To achieve our goal, UofL has created the Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda. It will include input from the campus community to guide our work.
Read the announcementOur Progress
Current & ongoing initiatives
Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship
To honor the memory of the EMT from Louisville, the UofL Health Board of Directors created a nursing scholarship in the name of Breonna Taylor.
The Parish living-learning community
A community for first-year, Black students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences.
New Cultural & Equity Center
This state-of-the-art center will be located on Belknap Campus and will house: Cultural Center, Diversity Education and Inclusive Excellence, LGBT Center, Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice and Women’s Center.
Signature Partnership
The university’s renowned, comprehensive community engagement initiative enhances the quality of life and economic opportunity for residents of West Louisville.
Academic programs
UofL’s diversity-related academic programs include: African American Theatre Program, American Sign Language, Asian Studies, Diversity Literacy, Latin American and Latino Studies, Multicultural Teacher Recruitment Program, Pan-African Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.
Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research
The consortium was created to fund social justice research teams, projects, creative activities and community-engaged scholarship addressing intransigent social problems and systemic inequalities. The consortium is directed by the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research and the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice
Black Male Initiative
The initiative works to increase the retention, graduation and engagement of Black males.
Hispanic/Latinx Initiative
The HLI offers a variety of programs to build strong support systems and increase retention and graduation of our Latinx students.
Muhammad Ali Scholar Program
A unique two-year experience for undergraduate students provided by the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice
Woodford R. Porter Scholarship Program
This program provides academic, personal and professional developmental support to recipients of the Porter Scholarship, which is awarded to African American students who are residents of Kentucky.
Increasing teacher diversity
UofL and Jefferson County Public Schools created the Louisville Teacher Residency program to develop more minority instructors.
Cultural resilience training
This program calls for discussion and understanding of various ethnic backgrounds.
Rustin Community
The Bayard Rustin LGBT and Social Justice Themed Living Community is a housing option and learning opportunity for students interested in social justice, activism and LGBT issues and concerns.
Black Faculty & Staff Assocation
Founded in 2002, this employee resource group supports and advocates for Black employees at UofL.
Support the Agenda
The Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda Fund will be used to strengthen our stand against systemic racism and affect much-needed change by supporting implementation of the Agenda. Potential areas of support include: recruit and retain more Black and other students, faculty and staff of color; build intentionally anti-racism curriculum across all disciplines; ensure boards, committees and the search and hiring process are intentionally diverse; develop institutional and unit-level budgets that reflect the priority of diversity and equity; deepen our impact as an anchor institution in Louisville to ensure our resources are strategically channeled to have the most impact; develop a culture that does not tolerate racism and one that uplifts all of our Cardinal family members; create more spaces for our Cardinal family to share concerns and generate new ideas for change; and ensure adequate cultural competency, implicit bias and social justice training resources are available.
Support the Agenda