A message on the George Floyd tragedy

迈克尔·贝尼特斯博士.D., vice president for Diversity and Inclusion

2020年5月29日

亲爱的Roadrunner社区:

It is with a heavy heart that I write you about another instance of violence inflicted on an African American man in America. 的 death of 46-year-old George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died after a police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes earlier this week, has once again shined a spotlight on racially motivated violence in this country.

Four police officers have been fired in the wake of this tragedy, while citizens are protesting in Minneapolis, 丹佛和全国各地. 明尼阿波利斯市长说 anger is not only understandable but “right,” while a city council member asked for a state of emergency to declare racism as a public health issue.

我也很生气. 本月初, I wrote about the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and discussed ongoing, overt racism with disconcerting data on race relations in the U.S. At the same time 密歇根州立大学丹佛 leaders facilitated a space of support and discussion for campus members, we learned about the tragic death of Breonna Taylor, an African American woman in Kentucky who was shot and killed when police entered her home in March. 的se are not isolated incidents in America, and Arbery, Taylor and Floyd are not numbers or stories. 他们是皇冠官网网站失去的人. 的y are people who lost their lives because of what they look like. As I made clear in the prior statement, these acts of racial bias and violence are deeply troubling, and we must stand together to condemn the systemic racism that enables such tragedies to occur.

As Roadrunners, we should speak out against injustice. 50多年前. 马丁·路德·金. spoke at the National Cathedral about the “appalling silence and indifference of the good people who sit around and say, 准时等候.’” It is once again time to say something.

I encourage you to show your support for students, colleagues or neighbors of color who are surely feeling the weight of these tragedies. Injustice is dependent on indifference. Leadership is about showing up or saying something, so speak up for what is right. Reach out to the people you know who are hurting and let them know they are not alone.

对于皇冠官网网站的学生, 有色人种教职员工, know that your Roadrunner family is here to support you. 的se violent incidents that capture our national attention are not OK. Neither are the instances of racial bias you face every day because of your skin color. We recognize that and want to provide a safe, inclusive environment for everyone at 密歇根州立大学丹佛.

If you’re a student, we have people you can talk to about these difficult times. Our staff at the Center for Multicultural Excellence and Inclusion have done a great job engaging students remotely this spring. 你可以在 (电子邮件保护). 密歇根州立大学丹佛 students also have access to the 咨询中心, which offers free and confidential mental health assistance. 致电303-615-9988或访问 咨询中心网站 安排远程预约.

密歇根州立大学丹佛 employees have access to confidential resources through the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program，免费. CSEAP can be reached by phone at 303-866-4314 during business hours, or you can contact Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255 or http://coloradocrisisservices.org 盘后.

的 Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)和 Center for Equity and Student Achievement (CESA) are working together to develop space for support and opportunities for community gathering, including reaching out to faculty, 教职员及学生, and will communicate these opportunities in the near future.

在一个文明社会里, we are all responsible for justice, and we need to come together to support each other in trying times. 密歇根州立大学丹佛 does not stand for racial intolerance, and we must continue to work together to provide a safe, inclusive environment for all Roadrunners.

真诚地,

迈克尔·贝尼特斯博士.D., vice president for Diversity and Inclusion