<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-7daa5408-7fff-5114-765a-667e4b4f1ff7"><p style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear ASA members,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The IDEA Chapter Steering Committee and the ASA Council would like to reaffirm that the ASA is committed to supporting the First Nations Australian community,</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,255);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">and Indigenous communities from around the world. We also stand in full support of the Black Lives Matter movement that brings to light the systemic racism that persists in Australia and abroad. We encourage everyone to commit to stopping racism within astronomy, and in academia and research more generally. We must all take time now to educate ourselves, listen to those who have been marginalized, and determine what action we will take. </span><br></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Equity, inclusion, and diversity are core values of the ASA and we must continue the challenging work of supporting our community to make changes and take actions to reflect those values.  The ASA IDEA Chapter Steering Committee has decided to organise a Community Action Committee to bring together members of equity, diversity, and inclusion groups from astronomical organisations across Australia to join together and connect with international collaborations (e.g. IAU Executive Committee Working Groups) in identifying strategic, long-term goals and actions needed to make astronomy truly equitable and inclusive. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This action is especially pertinent during NAIDOC Week (</span><a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/Lj8yC0YKPviwN20vtDT6-T?domain=naidoc.org.au" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://www.naidoc.org.au/</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">); its 2020 theme, “Always Was, Always Will Be”, recognises that First Nations Australians were Australia’s first astronomers.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">EoI for joining the Community Action Committee:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The ASA IDEA Chapter Steering Committee would like to issue a call for expressions of interest (EoIs) from all astronomical organisations across Australia. We ask that each organisation nominate one member (ideally from their EDI committee) to represent the organisation on the Community Action Committee. If you are not part of a relevant organisation, or would like to have more than one representative from the same organisation, please also submit an EoI and explain your interest in the Committee. The Community Action Committee will meet to determine and then work towards long-term goals for the entire Australian astronomical community, and facilitate broad communication throughout our national community and with the international community. We plan to seek guidance and direction from the First Nations Australian community, and will invite members to join the Committee if they wish. Our vision is that we all learn from each other’s successes and mistakes, share resources, and act on large-scale issues that individually we may not be able to address. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The EoI should answer the following questions and should be no longer than one page:</span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Name of organisation</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Name of nominated representative</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Position of the representative within the organisation</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Email of nominated representative</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Is the nominated representative a member of the organisation’s EDI committee? If yes, for how long?</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">What does the organisation hope to gain from participating in the Community Action Committee?</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Any additional information you would like to share</span></p></li></ol><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The EoI submissions should be emailed to </span><a href="mailto:asa.ideastronomy@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">asa.ideastronomy@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> by 20 November 2020.</span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We would like to acknowledge Aunty Sue Pinckham (Cultural Advisor, Indigenous Strategy, Macquarie University) for her assistance in preparing this statement.</span></p></span><div><br></div>Sincerely,<div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><b><font color="#0b5394">The IDEA Chapter Steering Committee</font></b></div><div><img src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1iE0EH8qaHMYn7yDsUfD8P7Kgbuc7yU48&revid=0B-eyL-_Nmin4VDNMaFp3MnFRNTV5TjhyQXVzbHkwcGw4UUdNPQ" width="96" height="32"></div><div><font color="#f1c232"><a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/i5s5CgZ0N1iZEl56u2qxam?domain=asa-idea.org" target="_blank">asa-idea.org</a></font></div></div></div></div></div>