Statement to the Chatham Community
Dear Chatham Community,
At a time when we are dealing with the current health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the heightened anxiety this is creating, our country is confronting yet another in a series of horrific incidents that remind us of the important work that remains to be done to create a society in which all humans are equally prized and privilege is not overlooked.
George Floyd, a 46 year-old black man, was killed by police while being arrested for a non-violent offense. Brionna Taylor, a 26 year-old black woman was killed by police in her home as they executed a search for someone that did not live there. And Ahmaud Arbery, a 25 year-old black man was pursued and killed while jogging. A group of African American entrepreneurs from Top Figure in Minneapolis were challenged about being actual tenants in their WeWorks co-working space by Tom Austin, a white male venture capitalist who demanded to see their IDs while not offering his and threatened to call the police. When birdwatcher Chris Cooper asked Amy Cooper to leash her dog in a section of Central Park requiring dogs be leashed, she called the police to make a false report that an African American man was threatening her and her dog.
We acknowledge the trauma that these events have on members of our campus community and want to affirm our support for the students, faculty, and staff of color. As a university, we are diverse along many dimensions, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, privilege, gender, sexual orientation, political perspectives, and age. We are, however, united in our condemnation of oppression and our commitment to work toward equity. We understand the need for ongoing self-reflection so that we can continue to open our hearts and minds to needed change. We recognize this as a necessary step toward helping others create change in their own lives.
Chatham is available to support our community. Educational tools are attached that provide greater understanding regarding racial trauma. The following is a list of resources to support for education and self-care during this time. Thank you to Counseling Psychology and Counseling Services for their support in organizing resources. The Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion is available for additional support.
Resources for Students:
Counseling Services is working on a list of therapists skilled in navigating racial trauma. Please contact Dr. Jennifer Morse, Executive Director of Wellness at jmorse@chatham.edu or Counseling Services (412-365-1282) for additional information or for a list of BIPOC mental health providers and LGBTQIA+ affirming providers
Resources for Faculty and Staff:
Life Solutions is available with counseling support. You can access additional information on the website at www.lifesolutionsforyou.com.
Racial Trauma Toolkit: This manuscript provides detail of a racism recovery plan; the infographic is short version of the same.
Take care of yourselves and each other,
David Finegold, President
Dean Darlene Motley and Dr. Randi Congleton, Diversity and Inclusion Council Co-Chairs