What’s in a name? Who do we honor? Where and when, and how do we remember? In many ways, these questions have been pondered by communities since the dawn of civilization. More personally, and closer to home, our parents (and their parents, and so on, and so on, and so on) asked themselves these questions before we came into this world, just as our families have sat with these challenges when laying to rest loved ones who have transitioned to a different place. It is within this context - and with this intention - that Wake Forest has undertaken the concept of Honoring and Naming, specifically over the past three years.

From ideas and recommendations listed in the President’s Commission on Race, Equity, and Community, to scholarship and community engagement activities from the Slavery, Race, and Memory Project, to the guiding principles of the Advisory Committee on Naming, through current efforts by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, our institution has worked to research, review, and reckon with not only the names and themes we elevate but also the individuals and moments we have failed to remember. Across all of these efforts, what is apparent is the deliberate, transparent, and honest approach we have taken to exploring names, methods of honoring, and accountability in the process, as well as a nuanced attempt to connect and collaborate with students, staff, faculty, alums, and members of the external community. 

With this as a backdrop, I want to encourage you to participate in Wake Forest’s next steps towards honoring and remembering, particularly as we focus on individuals, events, and themes that embody our institutional beliefs and values. The two best ways to make your voice heard in this space are to learn more about upcoming (and past) Honorifics and Naming events, and to look out for a survey for students, staff, faculty, and alums later this month. The ultimate purpose of these outreach efforts is to gather as many perspectives and experiences as possible, to better inform any new names, themes, spaces, and methods for remembering all who have helped build and sustain our campus and institution.

José Villalba, PhD., LCMHC