We are heartened by the recent Supreme Court ruling that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity. At Berea College, we are guided by the motto, “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.” That all-encompassing scripture from Acts 17:26 implies that we are all equal, giving no consideration to race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, religion or sexual orientation. The Court’s ruling affirms our commitment to employees and provides another level of security in the workplace. June is Pride Month, and yesterday, June 28, was the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march, held on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. We, indeed, are of one blood.
Berea College welcomes the public and campus community to hear Dr. Beth Simmons speak about the Future of Human Rights on Thursday, November 9, 2017, at 3 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel. This event is free and open to the public. 
Stephen Bright, Professor at Yale Law School and president of the Southern Center for Human Rights, will speak at Berea College October 20, 2016, at 3:00pm, in Phelps Stokes Chapel. From debtors’ prisons to the death penalty, race and poverty influence outcomes in U.S. Criminal Courts. Bright’s remarks will examine how sentences imposed by courts can destroy people and communities and he will chart hope for the future. This event is free and open to the public.