ACC to Host Fourth Annual Fall Unity Week

CHARLOTTE, 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 fourth annual Fall Unity Week, which will be held Oct. 14-22.

ACC Unity Weeks are an initiative of the ACC’s Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE – Champions of Racial Equity) and have been developed in conjunction with its 15 member institutions. The 2023-24 academic year will be the fourth in which the league has celebrated Unity Weeks in each of the Fall, Winter, and Spring competition seasons.

“The commitment by our membership to keep diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront is significant, and we are proud of the ongoing efforts,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “As a conference, we remain focused on working with our incredible student-athletes to ensure we do everything we can to bring about positive change. We are extremely proud of CORE and the collective efforts of this dedicated committee.”

The theme for the 2023-24 academic year is “Civic Engagement,” chosen by CORE in conjunction with the ACC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to encourage their respective community’s involvement in the lead-up to the general election in 2024. 

The ACC is encouraging schools to highlight the following on their campuses during the week:

• Voting initiatives and education.
• Active programming in the community.
• Student-athletes using their voice to make change.

A moment of unity will occur before or during ACC competitions throughout the week. Each of the ACC’s fall sports in men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, and football will be in action, with all 14 ACC football teams competing in at least one of the two weekends that bookend ACC Unity Week.

As part of the Fall Unity Week, the recipients of the third annual ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice, will be announced next week.

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…