April 21, 2021 Solidarity Against Injustice Dear Baruch Students, Faculty, and Staff, Since last summer, George Floyd’s murder has initiated a national reckoning of the deep-rooted issues of race, justice, and policing. The verdict announced yesterday does not mark an end to this reckoning, nor the systemic racism in our society, but it marks the beginning of a process that we can all be part of. In a statement released by former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, shortly after the trial, they said, “if we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial… True justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day. It requires us to recognize that millions of our friends, family, and fellow citizens live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last. And it requires us to do the sometimes thankless, often difficult, but always necessary work of making the America we know more like the America we believe in.” Our nation continues to reel with fresh news of more senseless and deadly incidents of racially-motivated hate and intolerance. These events are especially traumatizing for members of our community who continue to experience the impacts of racism and injustice. It’s an exhausting time, compounded as we enter the 13th month of a world radically altered by the global pandemic. Many have lost jobs and loved ones. In times like these, it is natural to feel pain, fear, anger, and anxiety, and it is difficult to remain hopeful of change. I truly understand, and I empathize with you. Adding to the traumas on the national scale is Baruch’s grief over the senseless loss of undergraduate Soléi Spears to gun violence on April 5. Soléi was a beloved student and scholar, a gifted poet and artist, and a social justice activist. To help mourn her loss, many members of our community recently attended two Healing Circles organized by Baruch’s Counseling Center. A memorial service in her honor, Soléi’s Second Line: Celebration of Life, has been planned by Baruch students, staff, and faculty for Tuesday, April 27, 6 pm (register in advance here). Community Resources If you need help coping with these many troubling events and this long year’s challenges, I urge you to seek support. The College is here to assist you. Students should contact Baruch’s Counseling Center for free, confidential individual and group counseling sessions, including Black Mental Health Matters Support Sessions, available on Wednesdays, 2–3 pm, via Zoom. Students in crisis can also text CUNY to 741741 for immediate free, 24/7 support from a trained counselor. Faculty and staff should connect with CCA@Your Service, the College’s Employee Assistance Program, at 800-833-8707 or visit myccaonline.com and use company code CUNY. In response to pressing racial justice problems, CCA has created additional resources: PDF guides for Understanding and Dealing with Racial Trauma, Addressing the Issue of Racism with Your Black Children, and Mental Health Resources for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). I hope you find some of these programs and resources helpful. Staying Connected Is Our Strength I believe our society is ready for a change, and at Baruch, I call on us to do what is required—“the sometimes thankless, often difficult, but always necessary work of making the America we know more like the America we believe in.” We at Baruch will continue our ongoing efforts to openly and intensely address issues of equity, inclusion, and diversity. Please choose to participate in these College efforts. We all have a role to play in building a more equitable, safe, tolerant, and welcoming community. It’s never been more essential that we stay connected as a community, stand in solidarity against hate and injustice and for progress and fairness. Sincerely, S. David Wu President, Baruch College |