Dear Friends of the Mondavi Center
We are saddened by the moment in which we find ourselves— our country is riven by discord, hurt and fear, following the violent death of George Floyd, with its echoes of so many similar incidents in our history. We believe that Black Lives Matter. We condemn hate speech, senseless violence and the systemic and structural racism that is at the root of so much inequality in our society. As we do our work, we must double down on our commitment to be inclusive and respectful of diversity in all we do and to UC Davis’ Principles of Community.
One of the deepest functions of the arts is to illuminate who we are and help us to connect to each other; to build empathy for and understanding of those who may seem different from us on the surface, but who share with us a common humanity. Such empathy and understanding are essential to what Chancellor May calls “a way forward" in his message to the campus. While the pandemic has kept us in physical isolation, we feel a common bond with our entire community, as we find that way forward together.
Don Roth, Ph.D.
Executive Director
The Mondavi Center