Category: Racial Justice

George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown and many, many others have lost their lives as victims of violence and racism. These lives were taken because a system or a person or a group decided they did not matter. Today, in our communities and in our nation, we are called to make positive change.

The University Life teams based at the Arlington and Science & Technology Campuses, in partnership with our colleagues across the Mason Nation, are committed to working, partnering, and leading that change on our campuses and beyond. We stand with you.

We acknowledge the systematic oppression and trauma our Black students and colleagues face every single day in our community. We believe and stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. We firmly believe that we must be a part of the work to support Black students and colleagues and to address systemic racism in our community and on our campuses. University Life Arlington and University Life SciTech are committed to being a part of the deep and important work to support racial justice.

• We will do this by working to understand our privileges.
• We will do this by promising to not burden our Black colleagues to educate us, but instead by actively engaging in this work and by listening and supporting initiatives and programs shared by Black voices.
• We will lift up black voices because they deserve to be heard because Black lives matter.
• We will do this by being vocal and active in conversations and movements that support the Mason Black community.
• We will do this by devoting time and resources to educating ourselves about the needs of Black students on each of our campuses.
• We will do this by centering the voices of Black scholars, students, practitioners, and survivors in our community as we work to be a part of creating an inclusive university community.
• We will take the time to listen and hear what is happening around us, and we will do the hard work that is needed.
• We will acknowledge our biases and missteps and we will continually strive to do better.

University Life across each of Mason’s campuses and locations shares with you a collective commitment to a society in which all public officials are held accountable for advancing the well-being of the people they serve. We dream with you of a system of justice that consistently upholds human dignity and the equal protection of law. Please reach out if you are interested in initiating or actively engaging in dialogue or programming at any of Mason’s campuses or locations. We stand with you in community, in support of our Black students and colleagues. We will not stand in silence.

—

Melissa Thierry, Associate Director, University Life Arlington
Michael Galvin, Associate Director, Univerisity Life SciTech
Lori Scher, Assistant Dean, University Life Regional Campuses

 

The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.

ODIME and LGBTQ Resources asks our community to reflect on the countless Black lives impacted by systemic racism and violence. There is no liberation without accountability and #change. We uplift and say the names of #GeorgeFloyd, #BreonnaTaylor, #TonyMcDade, and #AmaudArbery and reaffirm that #BLACKLIVESMATTER. ✊🏾 While we ask that you reflect and grieve, we also ask that these conversations on systemic violence do not go in vain. Allyship and accountability are needed to shift our culture to centering the lives mostly impacted by oppression.

Allies, NOW is the time to take action. NOW is the time to have those uncomfortable conversations. NOW is the time to engage in and read about anti-racism. NOW is the time to ask, what are we doing to center people and lives that are often not included and systemically vulnerable?

Our office will continue to center and uplift historically-marginalized populations on campus and we will continue to work to co-create an inclusive university community.
——
#SayTheirNames #Justice #BLM

From https://www.facebook.com/ODIMEGMU/posts/3304063899617819

Dear EIP Students, Families, and Friends,

In light of recent events such as the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the health and financial well-being of our communities, to the murders of unarmed African Americans, and most recently the brutal killing of Mr. George Floyd, I want to let all of our EIP families, students, and staff know that I have a profound appreciation for you all, your courage, and willingness to make sacrifices and take actions that make this world a better, safer, more equitable place. As we can all see, our nation is hurting. We have to deal with a sickness that has plagued this country from its inception – racism.

I want to speak specifically to our students here: Mason’s mission reads, “We are an inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.” And I truly believe that you all, our future generation, offer a great deal of hope for our society. You hold the key to advancing this nation away from racism and toward change. Eric Hoffer says, “In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists.” We are not only witnessing a world that is screaming for change, we are seeing the change. You all are the “learners,” and you are coming of age in extraordinary times. I know you may feel uncertain about your future, but I must admit that you are a very special generation – a generation that has been chosen to reimagine and rebuild a world that is different, a world where your whole being is appreciated and your full humanity is recognized. If there was ever a time to focus on education, that time is now.

This year your Early Identification Program’s Summer Academy theme is “I-believe.” As Bryan Stevenson says, “Hope is our superpower,” and I personally will work to embody this belief to change conditions that lead to the devaluation of all life, especially Black and Brown lives. I believe that we are all blessed with the resolve and wisdom to navigate these turbulent times. I believe that we are able to see each other and recognize, embrace, and appreciate each other’s humanity. As we continue to strive for something better, please be reassured that the Early Identification Program is committed to your success and to the continued fight for racial justice.

In solidarity,

Mr. Davis
Director

UNITING IN SOLIDARITY AND COMMUNITY: LEAD’S COMMITMENT TO LEADING ETHICALLY AND STANDING WITH OUR BLACK STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES THROUGH AUTHENTICITY, LEARNING, REFLECTION, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY

The Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Office would like to share our continued commitment to leading ethically and standing with our Black students and colleagues through authenticity, learning, reflection, education, support, and advocacy.

It is extremely difficult to find the words to express the raw emotions that so many are experiencing right now related to the continued and systemic racism, police brutality, violence, injustices, and years and years of trauma that Black people have had to endure.

As Rose Pascarell, Vice President for University Life shared earlier this week: Mason’s Mission – “We are an inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world’ – cannot fully be realized until we come to terms with systemic racism and the racial injustice that continues to result from it.” (June 2020)

After reflecting upon and reviewing LEAD’s work, as well as our mission and vision, we would like to recognize, acknowledge, and commit ourselves to the important work that is needed to support our Black students and colleagues through the following:

• Participating and actively engaging in opportunities to challenge ourselves, and our thinking, in order to breakdown any harmful stereotypes and detrimental historical narratives that we may have
• Expanding our understanding and knowledge around issues that disrupt anti-blackness
• Strengthening our efforts when developing leadership programming, workshops, and trainings, to incorporate more education around diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and other social justice issues
• Consistently engaging with our Mason community and fostering spaces for the hard conversations
• Collaborating to eliminate structural barriers to equity and justice for our Black students and colleagues
• Empowering and inspiring our Mason community to make positive change through activism and advocacy

We will take the time to listen and hear what is happening around us, and we will do the hard work that is needed. There will be times when we fall short, and we will not only do our best to acknowledge those missteps, but we will learn and change our behaviors. We will fight for justice and equity and we will strive to combat anti-blackness and racist behaviors and actions. The LEAD Office is committed to doing this essential work not just today, but everyday. If ever there was a time for leadership for positive change, it is now.

If you are looking for ways to help end white supremacy, disrupt anti-Blackness, and support our Black students and colleagues, here are just a few ways you can help today:

• Listen, reflect, and take the time to educate yourself.
• Read and learn about anti-Black racism.
• Challenge yourself by reflecting on your identities, privileges, behaviors, and actions.
• Call out/in friends, family, and colleagues who say/do racist things. Challenge their words and actions.
• Donate funds and support initiatives and platforms that support Black lives.
• Reach out to local and national representatives to help change systemic behaviors and policies. Demand for them to implement policies and initiatives that support Black lives.
• Connect and engage with one another.
• Honor and keep saying the names of those killed by police brutality

In community, we stand in support of our Black students and colleagues. We will not stand in silence.

~The Leadership Education and Development Office (LEAD)