As we approach the anniversary of the killing of George Floyd this month, we are deeply outraged and saddened by the ongoing police killings of Black and Brown people, including Andrew Brown, Jr., Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo and countless others. We cannot begin to imagine the pain and trauma that the parents, children, family and friends of these victims of police brutality are going through.
In a year of repeated incidents of police violence, mass shootings, and anti-AAPI hate violence in the U.S., on top of the coronavirus that took away so many lives with recent skyrocketing number of deaths in India, Brazil, Mexico and countries around the world, we affirm our strong conviction of a linked humanity, social justice and anti-racism.
Within the International Institute Community, we have sought to deepen our collective understanding of anti-Black state violence and the interlinked nature of struggles against racial oppression in the context of global histories of colonialism, imperialism and internationalism through our
Black Lives Matter: Global Perspectives series. The series also represents our commitment to strive for a more equitable, diverse, inclusive and just world.
We recognize the toll that the incidents of violence and hate take on our sense of community and individual and collective well-being.
Resources for Racial Trauma are available through
UCLA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office. Please take care of yourselves and each other, and please reach out if you need help or even just to talk.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Chun (Interim Equity Advisor starting July 1, 2021)
Robin Derby (Equity Advisor)
Chris Erickson (Director, International Institute)
Cindy Fan (Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement)
April 29, 2021
Please find the June 15. 2020 BLM Statement
here
Please find the International Institute’s EDI Committee Statement on Black Lives Matter
here.