The Together Initiative
Together can describe the unity of a group of peoples around an idea. Together can mean self-confidence and a well-organized plan. Together is what we need to be right now. Far too often in our fast-paced world, words are shared without action. For Colorado State Athletics, Together will be a word that drives change. Together, our commitment to our student-athletes, our University, and our community will grow. We will apply actions to our words, and we will remain steadfast in our belief that all people should be treated as equals, Together.
We invite you to follow our journey -- Together, as student-athletes, coaches, and staff -- as we grow and use our combined voices and platforms to commit to programming for that pursuit of equality.
Though we are not limiting ourselves, below are 21 items we as Rams are committing to, Together, which we believe are essential to bringing about the change we all want to see. As we take action, we will encourage you to come along with us. And, in time, our hope is to produce greater citizens than ever before so that they too may go into the world and carry that message: Together.
Colorado State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Statement
Endorsed and supported by the following Colorado State coaches, student-athletes, administrators, and support staff...
Director of Athletics Joe Parker; Head Coaches: Niko Medved, Ryun Williams, Steve Addazio, Christian Newton, Laura Cilek, Bill Hempen, Jen Fisher, Christopher Woodard, Jarod Camerota, Brian Bedard, Art Siemers, Tom Hilbert, Dawn Burton; Administration and Support Staff: Steve Cottingham, Albert Bimper, Chris Ferris, Jeff Schmidt, Kyle Neaves, Mike Brohard, Rocky Railey, John Martin, Katie Wimp, Tommy Clarkin, Rico Burkett, Brynne Davis, Katie Abrahamson, Benjamin Brune, Chad Hulse, David Sietsma, Austin Hannon, Megan Boone, Dedeann Pendleton-Helm, Reno Boyd, Shalini Shanker, Elodie Vigneron, Jimmy Stewart, Mark Paquette, Terry Hemme, Christian Schuepbach, Matt Lesser, Lizzy Mollner, Kenny Pleimann, Emily Hazard, Sarah Weatherford, Bri Olmstead, Patrick Krza, Laurel Montag, Tom Ehlers, Eric Church, Becky Orr, Ben Lucas, Tori Ball, Joylynn Benefiel, Rod Gerald, Joe Cooper, Jonathan Goodman, Kellie Lewis, Brandon Bailey, Emma Montie, David Thorson, Marie Tyrell, Cassie White, Matt Klein, Marcie Johnston, Julie Sinkovitz, Dustin German, Terry DeZeeuw, Shane Ryan, Tony Hill, Parker Edens, Anne Bradley, Melinda Easley, Aaron Katsuma, Amber Cunningham, Adam Parsons, David Crum, Lexi Rosa, Joey Lynch, Annie Bauman, Sammi Gwin, Matt Carson, Matt Selje, Brandon Mikulecky, Megan Rakoczy, Layne Doctson, Andrew Epperson, Josh White, Brooke Butkovsky, Abbey Tuhkanen, Emily Kohan, Ali Farokhmanesh, Jay McMillin, Anthony Perkins, T. Lee Land, Doug Max, Clark Woodruff, Lindsey Easton, Jason Phillips, Matt Breach, Anaclaudia Cervantes
Student-Athletes: Jenna Diers, Tomine Bjerkelo, Olivia Chatman, Ashton Hallsted, Kamal-Craig Golaube, Emily Luetschwager, Emma Corwin, Addie Wright, Jordan Acosta, A'Jon Vivens, Jadon Walker, Katelyn Bartley, Briyana Bunson, Beau Gordon, Bailee Carr, Shane Gates, Jacob Brueckman, Lauren Offerman, Jessica Ozoude, Ally Murphy-Pauletto, Kate Meunier, Liam Mather, Rachel Holland, Ryan Birkmeier, Stella Cliffe, Drew Thompson, Quinn Brinnon, Jenna Heinemeyer, Jennae Frederick, Marcus McElroy, Amelia Hammerle, Adam Thistlewood, Lauren Brocke, Lore Devos, Anika Johnson, Eric Hammer, Maddie Ward, Danielle Serna, Jacob Brueckman, Tara Shadowen, Tanner Norman, Morgan Stewart, Liza Lunina, Brooke Hudson, Kaitlyn Cook, Jamie Bonnarens, Ciera Zimmerman, Isabel Hopkins
University and Community: Kyle Saunders, Nik Olsen, Samantha Boren, Karla Lewis, Sarah Stephens, Cecilia Milano de Tomasel, Anne Van Arsdall, Paul Flippen, Susan Brown, Adriana McClintock, Vanessa Hayward, Todd Fedell, Tammy Perez, Josh McClure, Max Kellogg, Terri Bedan, Amanda Wimmer, Cody Frye, Annie Krieg, Janelle Dowling, Christie Mathews, Lisa Kilburg, Joanie Brewster, Emily Wilmsen, Sheela Backen, Michaela Lecklitner, Katy DeJonge, Stacy Armbruster, Susan Golicic, Diane Ellsworth, Paul Laybourn, Stacey Baumgarn, Marcela Henao-Tamayo, Chris Naseman, Georgeann Venis, Stephen McConnell, Susan McPhillips, Jeff Atkins, Tamara Bearly, Olivier Pinaud, Christine Haase, Michael S. Hamilton, Jill Putman, Amy Leonard, Denise Morgan, Michelle Dupree, Marla Trumper, Anne Hecox, Christina Weber, Eileen Pharo, Billy Babb, Suzanne Tegen, Inger Johnson, Christine Ahrens-Greene, Julie Braungart-Rieker, Kim Chacon, Madison Brinnon, John Brinnon, Michelle Brinnon, James Pritchett, Evelyn Pierro, John Henderson, Madeline Jazz Harvey, Anna Fontana, Tyler Taylor, Drew, Dr. Susan L. Williams, Amy Hoseth, Kathy Waller, Erica Suchman, David Crum, Stephanie Pelster, Eric Paricio, Debra Walker, Jeff Shriner, Steve Wade, Ann Marie Bliley-Ester, Mindy Van Kalsbeek, Jayson Ortiz, Tae Nosaka, Margarita Maria Lenk, Stephen Hayne, Lise Youngblade, Maryellen Elizabeth Hart, Emily Hudson-Arns, Ben Fogelberg, Whitney Dwyer, Nancy Holt Wright, Karen Thorsett-Hill, John Schillo, Malinda Sloan, Cathy Hagenbaumer, Kristen Morris, John H. Wyckoff III, Leisha Buell, Catherine Coleman Kane, Jim Wurz, Skylar Feltner, Ashley Stahle, Karen M. Dobos, Brandon Sandoval, Ken Carlson, Mark Shoemaker, Erin Niswender, John Walker, Cheyenne Hall, Michelle McCulloch, Kristi Bohlender, Brett Anderson, Sarah Zentz, Maile Bergknut, Amanda Clayton, Craig B. Webb, Tami Boday, Torin Kaletsky, Shelly J Lane, Cindy Nosko, Greg Dickinison, Analiese Wiedenbeck, Denise Apodaca, Jody Donovan, Nicole A. Dixon, Ryan Bailey, Kristen Cognac, Timalyn O'Neill, Dana Gaines, Jessica Fuentes, Anireddy S.N. Reddy, Erin Napier, Audra Montoya-Baker, Grant Bain, Joseph Brown, Stephanie Clemons, Bruno Sobral, Lindsey Young, Joe Cannon, Jeni Cross, Angeline Chromiak, Lauren Weber, David Koons, Karan Venayagamoorthy, Alexandra Stanke, Joshua Swick, Barb Maynard, Chris Melby, Jennifer Garvey, Rebecca m Breniman, Todd Gaines, R Harmony Tucker, Annika Yappert , Tracy Close, Zara Hopkins, Rebecca Villalpando, Greg Newman, Maddi Funk, Lani Williams, Sanjay Rajopadhye, Mary Liang, Natalie Lester, Francesca Cotrufo, Sian Versweyveld, Alexandra Schweigert, Kaly McKenna, Lizzy Bowman, Cyndy Rehberg, Diana Prieto, Jeremie Levitt, Galina Hazanov Lahav , Tom Dieringer, Crystal Bozmans, Sara Bombaci, Monica Keele, Mary Gallegos, Susana Muñoz, Kipp Krukowski, Andrea Karapas, Beth Oehlerts, Emmet pritchard, Katie Lungren, Deanna Main, Jessica Davis, Nancy Hunter, Ryan Barone, Danitza Gline, Kimberly Nichols, Maggie Walsh, Andrea Russo, Kate Coskrey, Alejandro Albanez, Nancy Johnson, Joanie Ryan, Cassidy McLaren, Mike Ellis, Michelle Carroll, Brandon Fuller, Jon D Clark, Bronwen Watts, Jean M Jenes, Madison Colley, Brittany Habben, Michael Katz, Serena Bettis, Heather Bean, Abdulrahman Masoud, Carmen Menoni, Mikaela Stelmach, Will Wilson, Laura Giles, Brendan McCrann, Lindsey Dunn, D. Tobiassen Baitinger, Allison DeWaele, Maury Dobbie, Fernando Tomasel, Allie Ogg, Courtney Conrad, Amanda Broz, Kayleigh Helberg, Kevin Keefe, Susan Rutherford, Susan E Benzel, Lynn Johnson, Diamond Nicholson, Brandy Ortiz, Jill Garber, Jeannie Roberts
INITIATIVES LIST
- Attend and speak at public meetings.
- Vote in your state, local, and national elections.
- Run for an open leadership position.
- Host a book read and discussion with an important message.
- Organize small business support days.
- Organize a conversation with law enforcement.
- Organize a conversation to discuss systemic injustices.
- Host a letter writing event to your elected officials.
- Meet with organizations to learn about their stories, their concerns and their strategies of engaged citizenship.
- Graduate.
- Organize and mobilize residents to vote.
- Write your own book. Read it to others.
- Write your own song. Sing it to others.
- Take a class on public speaking. Practice with others.
- Meet with civic leaders to discuss the structural design of our criminal justice system.
- Correct the narratives that leave out the robust truth.
- Learn the story of someone different than you.
- March. Sit. Stand. Kneel. Use your voice to speak for the unheard.
- Understand that we cannot all play the same role in our collective revolution for change.
- Say their name.
ADOPTED SUGGESTIONS
- Point out your peer's jokes, phrases, actions that perpetuate racism.
- Have the student-athletes and staff write and sign a letter for each Colorado U.S. Senator (Gardner and Bennett) and U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse requesting their support in making Juneteenth a National Holiday. It is currently recognized as a special holiday or day in 47 out of 50 states.
- Seek out and suggest meaningful podcasts to inform and educate our community on social justice issues. Consider listening to "The Black Congressmen of the Reconstruction: Death of Representation." It is found in Mo Rocca's series Mobituaries.
- Listen to the podcast “Truth’s Table”. It is hosted by two African American women and its designed for “women to come to the table and men to listen from the standing room” - the conversations they have on culture, race, sports and faith are incredible.
- Watch this link about Patsy Mink who served in the United States House of Representatives for 24 years and co-authored and advocated for the passage of Title IX Amendment of the Higher Education Act.