May 15, 2022
Dear Centre Community,
Yesterday, a gunman shot 13 people and killed 10 in a supermarket in Buffalo, NY. Eleven of the thirteen people who were shot were Black. The terrorist left behind a manifesto rife with white supremacist ideology. In specific, his social media posts and manifesto espoused "replacement conspiracy theories," which view Jews as orchestrating the erasure of white people through such things as promoting interracial marriage, Black empowerment, mass immigration and critical race theory.
This mass shooting must be understood within a larger context in which gun violence and hate crimes against minority groups--Blacks, Asians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, LGBTQ+ people--have continued to rise. In specific, this shooting reminds us of the particular vulnerability of Black people as a result of systemic anti-Black racism in America.
We write to offer words of condolence and solidarity to our campus, especially to Black members of the Centre community who once again find themselves experiencing the trauma of racism. We know that this tragic and horrific crime raises a host of feelings, including fear, sadness, and outrage, which may be especially hard to process in the midst of finals. Please know that we are here to support you, mourn, and mobilize with you in the days and months ahead.
In solidarity,
The Underrepresented Faculty Council (The Queer Faculty and Staff and Faculty of Color Caucuses)
Religious Life Office
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Dear Centre Community,
Yesterday, a gunman shot 13 people and killed 10 in a supermarket in Buffalo, NY. Eleven of the thirteen people who were shot were Black. The terrorist left behind a manifesto rife with white supremacist ideology. In specific, his social media posts and manifesto espoused "replacement conspiracy theories," which view Jews as orchestrating the erasure of white people through such things as promoting interracial marriage, Black empowerment, mass immigration and critical race theory.
This mass shooting must be understood within a larger context in which gun violence and hate crimes against minority groups--Blacks, Asians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, LGBTQ+ people--have continued to rise. In specific, this shooting reminds us of the particular vulnerability of Black people as a result of systemic anti-Black racism in America.
We write to offer words of condolence and solidarity to our campus, especially to Black members of the Centre community who once again find themselves experiencing the trauma of racism. We know that this tragic and horrific crime raises a host of feelings, including fear, sadness, and outrage, which may be especially hard to process in the midst of finals. Please know that we are here to support you, mourn, and mobilize with you in the days and months ahead.
In solidarity,
The Underrepresented Faculty Council (The Queer Faculty and Staff and Faculty of Color Caucuses)
Religious Life Office
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
