Dear CCI Students,
Like many of you, I have experienced the events of the past two weeks with great pain and sadness. I do not live with the daily fatigue, frustration and despair of discrimination or carry fears of violence against me or my family because of the color of our skin. I can only imagine how that must feel, and how quickly these feelings accumulate and can translate to hopelessness and grief.
While we may not all have the same life experiences, I believe we share a deep commitment to each other and to equity and justice. I know I cannot take away the pain that many of you feel right now. To CCI African American students and students of color: Please know that we see your pain and that each of us in CCI is here to support, encourage, listen to and learn from you.
The ongoing local and national peaceful protests give me hope. As a First Amendment historian, I understand the significance of peaceful assembly and protest to promote and cause social change. My dissertation focused on the abolitionist movement and press and how they helped define the social, political, legal and cultural boundaries of free expression in the 19th century.
William Lloyd Garrison, in the first edition of his abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, wrote:
“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject [of slavery] I do not wish to think, speak or write with moderation. No! No! Tell a man whose house is on fire, to give a moderate alarm … but, urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest – I will not equivocate – I will not excuse – I will not retreat a single inch – AND I WILL BE HEARD.”
This still resonates with me today, especially as I watch all of us come together to give powerful voice to the continuing and most recent racial injustices we have all witnessed. We will listen, document, report, investigate, communicate and understand the root causes of our problems so we can solve them.
I want to know about injustices, microaggressions, and inequalities that occur within CCI. Our CCI Diversity initiatives led by AJ Leu (aleu@kent.edu) advocate for and provide diversity support, education and resources for students within our College. Furthermore, AJ and I read every email that comes to cci@kent.edu. I encourage you to email us about your experiences so that we continue to work toward more equity. We’re committed to listening to your feedback and continuing to put ideas into actions through diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives.
Visit our CCI Diversity website.
We can be as uncompromising as justice. You will BE HEARD. I stand with you.
Best,
Amy
View statements from our School directors about our commitment to justice and equality in the links below.