Black Lives Matter Here
Dear Brooklyn College colleagues,
Today is Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
The police killing of George Floyd was brutal and shocking. Sadly, it was only the latest in a series of white people killing unarmed black people in this country, including most recently, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Systemic racism continues to infect us.
The COVID-19 pandemic has damaged communities of color disproportionately. Blacks are overrepresented among hospitalized patients and the death rates for black and Hispanic/Latinx persons are disproportionately high. Poorer health outcomes and lower life expectancy are expressions of structural inequality that disadvantage people of color. At this time of great injustice, it is important that we continue to take action in response to the anguish of the black community.
At Brooklyn College, we stand against hate--and all forms of white supremacy. We hope that education will help make this a more just and humane society. We work through classes, programs, lectures, and teach-ins to understand the legacy of systemic racism in this country, using the critical academic lenses afforded by the liberal arts and sciences, humanities, and creative arts. A core aspect of the Brooklyn College mission is to serve students of color and immigrants. We seek to empower people of color through education, and black lives matter here.
Anthony Brown, the Chief Diversity Officer at Brooklyn College, and David Wells, the Director of the Black, Latino Male Initiative at Brooklyn College, will host a town hall tomorrow night, June 3, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. entitled, “We Should All Be Able to Breathe.” I encourage you to participate.
Take good care of yourself.
Yours,
Michelle J. Anderson
President, Brooklyn College
