Dear members,

The National Society of Leadership and Success vehemently condemns racism and injustices of any form. Discrimination of any kind is wrong, and now, more than ever, we need strong leaders to step up and step in to create safe communities free from prejudice and racism. We need bold leaders who will support those who are exercising their rights through peaceful protests. Leaders who are willing to listen and participate in productive dialogue surrounding the systemic racism that impacts every citizen. Leaders who will act to stop the injustices we see far too frequently. In short…leaders who will lead.

At the NSLS, we believe in building leaders who will make a better world for all of those living in it by arming them with the skills, empathy and compassion required to lead the systemic change our country so desperately needs—and today, that goes far beyond the classroom.

If you are feeling scared, confused or outraged over the racial divide in our country, please know you are not alone —we are by your side, and you have an ally in the NSLS. By standing together in solidarity and holding our leaders accountable, we are confident our country and our communities will come out of this unrest stronger and more united. We know it won’t be easy, but we have seen firsthand what can be accomplished when we work in unison rather than in opposition.

The NSLS is committed to being a voice for change in the communities where we live, work, worship and educate. We encourage you as a leader to join us in enacting positive change and ensuring our black families, colleagues, friends, and neighbors are heard and feel safe as we advocate passionately for justice and equality for all.

We are dream supporters and fight each day to ensure our students have the ability to fulfill their dreams. We will continue that fight for all humankind through our staff, our dedicated members, and our passionate chapter leaders.

In supporting our commitment to anti-racism education and activism, the NSLS is proud to share that we will be taking these immediate actions:

• We will be creating and launching a new 'Diversity & Inclusion' component that will be incorporated into the NSLS Foundations of Leadership certification. This component will be available to NSLS members in an effort to educate and empower leaders towards building stronger communities dedicated to ending systematic racism.

• We will be hosting a 'Diversity and Leadership in Times of Crisis' speaker at the NASPA Virtual Conference for college administrators in July. As a leading voice in the area of diversity, the NSLS speaker will offer discernible action steps for college administrators as they prepare for the new school year. We will announce the speaker soon.

• We will be providing all NSLS employees with a paid day off to participate in a protest or action addressing racism and injustices. Our purpose-driven team of more than 60 people at the NSLS National Office is active in communities across the country. Employees will be voluntarily sharing their efforts, which we will publish on our social media channels.

These immediate actions will allow us to amplify the voices and important actions of the NSLS community while providing the education and support necessary for ending racial injustices.

Thank you all for joining us in the mission of building leaders who make a better world.

With respect,

The National Society of Leadership and Success