As Monterey Peninsula College’s mission and values statements emphatically indicate, providing an equitable and inclusive learning environment is at the core of the work we do here at MPC. In fact, these concepts are threaded throughout our strategic plans, our discussions, and our daily activities. We recognize the profound impact that higher education has on the lives of our students, their families, and our communities – and we also recognize that access to and the outcomes of that educational experience are not yet equitable. We welcome the difficult but necessary discussions about race and racial stratification, about equity and anti-racism, about power and privilege, and about each of our roles in making our college better. We cannot simply be observers of change. Each of us must be an agent for change. Equity-driven leadership requires a relentless commitment to confronting and improving our processes, programs, and services in order to achieve this shared vision of being an equity-based institution. Together, we must engage in the collective process of authentic dialogue, honest reflection and introspection, and the re-imagining of systems to produce equitable outcomes for all of our students. Our students are counting on our commitment to change.