GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com)  – As part of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s continued commitment to diversity, inclusion, social justice and racial equity, the league has announced plans for the conference’s third annual Winter Unity Week, which will be held Feb. 18-26.

ACC Unity Weeks are initiatives of the ACC’s Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE - Champions of Racial Equity) and have been developed in conjunction with the league’s 15 member institutions. The ACC celebrated three Unity Weeks in both 2020-21 and 2021-22 (Fall, Winter, Spring) and will do the same during the 2022-23 academic year.

ACC athletics departments are encouraged to actively engage in activities with their campus and local communities that promote unity. Some examples include community service projects, Unity walks, Town Hall meetings, partnerships with local social justice organizations and/or civic groups, civic engagement education and celebration of institutional UNITE Award recipients.
 
“Our member schools and our amazing student-athletes do a tremendous job of displaying their commitment to diversity and inclusion year-round,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Our Unity Weeks continue to accentuate the positives of that commitment and we are proud of the ongoing work by CORE. It will be outstanding to see this initiative on full display during several of our winter championships and men’s and women’s basketball games through next weekend.”

The theme for the 2022-23 academic year is “Inclusion,” chosen by CORE as diversity does not exist without inclusion. Recent months have seen ACC student-athletes and administrators travel to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, the geographical centers of the civil rights movement’s battle for inclusion in the mid-1960s. Additionally, the 50th anniversary of Title IX highlighted the importance of inclusion within college athletics.

ACC schools are now encouraged to focus on specific examples of inclusion – PRIDE, the fight against antisemitism and other causes – that the campuses feel are applicable to them.

A moment of unity will occur before or during ACC competitions throughout the week. Each of the ACC’s winter sports is in action, including the ACC Swimming and Diving Championships that will continue through this Saturday night (Feb. 18) at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. ACC Championships are also slated for next week in Indoor Track and Field (Feb. 23-25 at Louisville, Kentucky) and Fencing (Feb. 25-26 at Boston College).
 
In addition, this Saturday marks the final dual wrestling match of the ACC season (Duke at Pitt), and the week features full slates of conference men’s and women’s basketball action.
   
ACC’s initiatives during Unity Weeks:

• Social Media - All league social handle profile pictures will feature the ACC UNITE logo
• UNITE logo inclusion intermittently on ACC Network TV broadcasts
• Provide UNITE-themed promotional items to distribute to student-athletes and coaches
• Produce video content/programming (i.e., UNITE Award winners panel discussion, student-athlete leaders discussion panel, etc.)
• ACC Network (ACCN) will conduct interviews throughout the week on the impact of Unity Week and why it is important
• The Conference office will focus ACCN and social media coverage on one institution per weekday throughout the three Unity Weeks throughout the year. The Winter Unity Week schedule:
  • Feb. 20 – Virginia Tech
  • Feb. 21 – Notre Dame
  • Feb. 22 – North Carolina
  • Feb. 23 – Duke
  • Feb. 24 – Georgia Tech

 ACC Unity Statement
“We, the ACC, are committed to seeing each other as equals and treating each other with respect and dignity at all times; recognizing that our differences don’t divide us, but they make us stronger.”