American Association of Geographers: Statement on Racism and Death of George Floyd

The American Association of Geographers is deeply saddened and disturbed by the recent death of George Floyd. Mr. Floyd’s death, like those of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black Americans, are part of a pattern of racism and institutional violence in the United States that is neither new nor acceptable. The AAG strongly condemns racism, violence, and the systemic inequities these deaths reflect. Emphasizing human rights, enhancing diversity, promoting inclusion, and advocating for historically marginalized social groups are central to the AAG and its mission. 
AAG recognizes that it must do more to ensure that geography as a discipline becomes inclusive and equitable. Geographers have long been at the forefront of scholarship on the social and spatial foundations and consequences of racism, violence, and inequality. But this is not enough. We need to use our research, our teaching, our mentorship, our work, and our science to stand up against systemic inequality. As an organization, we know that we can only do this by broadening our community and promoting better inclusion and representation in geography and GIScience. While we have been taking steps to move toward these goals, we realize our work is far from finished. We pledge to continue to combat racism in all its forms.