Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Castro: Fresno State Can Do More to Drive Social Justice Reforms
gvw_nancy_price
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 4 years ago on
June 5, 2020

Share

Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro said the university already has taken on a significant role in addressing racial inequity and disparities in justice, health care, educational opportunities, and child development through its educational and research programs and its service efforts in the community.

Updated portrait of Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro

 

“We clearly have a lot more work to do. And I think that work is something that we all prioritize.” — Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro, addressing the university’s low African American enrollment 

But, he told GV Wire this week, Fresno State can — and should — do even more.

The outrage sparked by the killing of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police has sparked calls for reforms in policing as well as demands for more equality in health care, education, and economic opportunities for African-Americans, who are among the people of color who have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Castro said that he was proud of the students from the Fresno State chapter of the NAACP who organized the rally and march in downtown Fresno. Unlike protests in other cities, Fresno’s 3,000-person march was free of violence, a top priority for the student organizers.

Two Protests, Different Outcomes

Ironically, Fresno State officials learned during the same weekend that several students might have been involved in a traffic altercation in which a Jeep struck a protester at a Visalia event, prompting the university to launch an investigation.

“It does … raise the question of how we educate students, faculty, staff from all different backgrounds so they fully understand the experiences of African-American youth and adults, and not just understand, but become allies to make sure that this community is treated with the dignity and fairness and respect that they deserve,” he said.

“And I’m hopeful that Fresno State can play a role in educating a group of bold leaders who really embrace the diversity of cultures and understand that we all bring these gifts to the table and make America stronger through our gifts, through our cultural gifts and intellectual gifts.”

The protests, Castro said, highlighted the need to expand opportunities for African-Americans, starting from birth. One of the points made at Sunday’s rally was the disproportionate number of African-American babies who are born prematurely, “and we know from our research that that leads to other kinds of challenges,” he said.

Fresno State works with First 5 Fresno County to address that and other early childhood issues, Castro said.

Twitter images of a Jeep hitting protesters in Visalia, California a
A Jeep flying American and Trump flags hits protesters in Visalia on Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Twitter/@kookgenre)

Enrolling More Black Students at Fresno State

Making sure that African-American students wind up in the pipeline for college is also a focus for the university in working with K-12 partners, he said.

The university’s outreach to the African-American community includes “Super Sunday” visits to churches, yearlong programming, summer institutes, and the “Sweet Potato Project” through which black farmers can mentor agriculture students, he said.

“We are focused on this, but we need more support from the community, from the business community and from other community leaders, frankly, from our families, from all different groups to embrace the potential that our African-American youth have and to help them flourish as the next generation of leaders,” he said.

But Castro acknowledged that the percentage of blacks attending Fresno State is still quite low. In the fall 2019 semester, 2.6% or about 637 students at Fresno State were African American.

“We clearly have a lot more work to do,” he said. “And I think that work is something that we all prioritize.”

 

Photo of Joseph I. Castro speaking at St. Joseph Baptist Church in Fresno, California
Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro speaks to the congregation at St. Joseph Baptist Church in southwest Fresno about the opportunities provided by a college education. (fresnostatenews.com)

Policing Reforms

Castro said the university can play a greater role in addressing the racial disparities in policing that commonly occur across the nation, such as when some police officers and departments target people of color for enforcement or for excessive force.

The university’s criminology department, which Castro said is one of the largest in California, trains many students who go into law enforcement.

“I believe that this is an opportunity for us to look at our curriculum and think about what changes need to be made to support a fair system for everybody,” he said.

Floyd’s death, which resulted after a white Minneapolis police kept his knee on Floyd’s neck even though he said repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe, could be a catalyst for social change, Castro said.

“I do hope that this is an opportunity to raise awareness for people that may have not thought about this in a deep way, but who are open to ideas that make us a much more inclusive community here in Fresno,” he said.

DON'T MISS

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

DON'T MISS

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

DON'T MISS

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

DON'T MISS

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

DON'T MISS

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

DON'T MISS

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

DON'T MISS

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

DON'T MISS

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

UP NEXT

What Is Sierra Unified’s Plan to Boost Lagging Student Achievement?

UP NEXT

Visalia Rollerblader Suffered Major Injuries After Being Struck by Vehicle

UP NEXT

Fresno County Man Indicted for Possessing Stolen Guns

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Schedules Community ‘Listening Sessions’ with Trustees

UP NEXT

Fresno County to Open New West Annex Jail, Replacing Aging Facility

UP NEXT

Where Does Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer Stand on School Bonds?

UP NEXT

Fresno County DUI Rate Is an ‘Epidemic,’ DA Says

UP NEXT

On Elon Musk’s X, Dems Are an Endangered Species While GOP Goes Viral

UP NEXT

Wired Wednesday: Propositions on the November Ballot

UP NEXT

College Application Deadlines Are Near. What You Need to Know.

Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

4 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

4 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

4 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

4 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

5 hours ago

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

5 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

5 hours ago

Fresno Murder Suspect Stopped in Las Vegas, Others Wanted

6 hours ago

Trump’s Crowds Are Dwindling as His Campaign Winds Down

6 hours ago

Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on Mexico to Curb Immigration

6 hours ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

A driver suspected of being under the influence crashed into a California Highway Patrol car early Sunday, officials said. Officers were inv...

1 hour ago

A driver suspected of DUI crashed into a parked California Highway Patrol car at a fatal crash scene in Fresno County, sustaining minor injuries and later being cited. (Fresno County SO)
1 hour ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

fresno
2 hours ago

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

2 hours ago

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP/Ashley Landis)
4 hours ago

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

Voters cast their ballots at Desert Breeze Community Center in Las Vegas during the last day of in-person early voting in Nevada on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Nearly 75 million people have cast early ballots, making their voices heard amid worry about the process, the outcome and democracy itself. (Bridget Bennett/The New York Times)
4 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

4 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

4 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

5 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

Search

Send this to a friend