Dear Barnard Community,
As we absorb today’s verdict in Minneapolis and all that it means, we write to encourage you all to pause to remember George Floyd’s life and to remember the fullness of a person’s life and all that is lost when a life is needlessly cut short. We keep in mind his family and friends and all who continue to grieve.
We receive today’s news, too, as a reminder that a single verdict does not alter the pattern we have seen continuing in the deaths of Adam Toledo and Daunte Wright, even as the Chauvin trial was underway. At Barnard, we have a commitment, through our research and teaching, to understanding systems that give rise to injustice and to reckon with a history of anti-blackness and racism. As a community and an institution, we also must be relentless in our efforts to contribute to real change. Moments like this remind us of the importance of the ideas and voices nurtured here.
Right now, we urge you to care for and support one another. We can each participate in imagining and practicing a world where there are other alternatives to violence and to harm. We welcome you, too, to engage in the programming outlined below and to take advantage of the support Barnard offers. This is just one moment among many as we, at Barnard, collectively work to eradicate discrimination and live out our core values.
With care,
Sian Leah Beilock, President
Ariana González Stokas, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We offer the following events, resources, and supports over the coming days:
Virtual Events:
- Thursday, April 22, 7-9 p.m. EDT: Conversation with Angela Rose Myers ’18, NAACP President, Minneapolis Chapter, and Cammie Jones, Barnard College Executive Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion
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We invite you to join us for a Community Conversation: Processing the Trial of Derek Chauvin with Minneapolis NAACP President Angela Rose Myers ’18, this Thursday, April 22, at 7 p.m. EDT on Zoom.
- During this discussion-based conversation, we will talk with Angela about the Chauvin trial, contextualize this racial justice moment, and provide perspective as a community activist on the ground in Minneapolis. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions. Additionally, participants are invited to join campus members who will hold space and use restorative processing to discuss the impacts of the trial on our community and ourselves. Conversation from 7 to 8 p.m., and restorative processing from 8 to 9 p.m. For any questions, email cei@barnard.edu. REGISTER.
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- Fridays, 2-3 p.m. EDT: Spiritual Wellbeing in the Midst of Anxiety and Conflict: A Space to Listen, Share, and Reflect. REGISTER.
Processing Spaces:
- Wednesday, April 21, 1 p.m. EDT: Community Listening Session #1
- Facilitated by Deshawn Cook and Hilary Colenso to talk, process, and discuss well-being in this moment.
- Wednesday, April 21, 2 p.m. EDT, Community Listening Session #2
- Lehman Auditorium (Altschul 202) Facilitated by Deshawn Cook and Jennifer Nival to talk, process, and discuss well-being in this moment. REGISTER
- Thursday, April 22, 1 p.m. EDT, Community Listening Session for BIPOC-identifying students
- Facilitated by Deshawn Cook and Christy DaBreo-Otero to talk, process, and discuss well-being specifically for BIPOC students.
- Faculty/Staff Forum/Processing Space
- Monday, April 26, time TBD
- Wednesday, April 28, 12 noon EDT, BIPOC Employee Resource Group. Please find the Zoom link in your mybarnard.edu portal. Email: dei@barnard.edu with questions.
Counseling resources for the Barnard Community:
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides short-term counseling and referral for employees and their families. All benefit-eligible employees and their dependents are able to use the college-sponsored EAP services.
- Employee Assistance Program: www.humana.com/eap
- username: barnard
- password: eap
As always, we offer space for support and reflection through the Rosemary Furman Counseling Center.
Facts About the Trial
Explaining the Charges (KTSP Minneapolis)
The State of Minnesota vs. Derek Chauvin case documents (Minnesota Judicial Branch)