“I think it’s a nice gesture, but I think that it’s more important to see what the city does in terms of actions, policies that have an impact on people’s every day lives,” says Tamika La Salle, an associate professor at the Neag School of Education.

“As long as I have those existential questions, particularly while my kids are young, I will be a hesitant candidate,” says Doug Glanville, a former MLB player, and current Neag School faculty member. “Admitting that, I wouldn’t fault anyone for not considering me. But I still believe the game can help make the world better — for all of our children — even as I choose to cheer from afar.”

S. Kent Butler came to UCF in 2007 to teach counselor education and has more than 30 years of experience in the field and multicultural work. As the head of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, he has created the Leadership Council for Equity, Inclusivity and Diversity, which is made up of 22 individuals across UCF that champion social justice and equity.

Doug Glanville writes and narrates a personal call to action in response to the passing of George Floyd.

Black lives matter. We share the grief, sadness, and anger at the loss of George Floyd, whose murder follows so closely on that of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many others. Each of their lives, like each and every Black life in our community and around the world, is unique, beautiful, and irreplaceable, and deserving of respect and dignity. The great and abiding shame of our nation is our inability to acknowledge, confront, and redress the legacy of white supremacy and the failure of our institutions, particularly our law enforcement institutions, to respect the human rights of black and brown people.