To the Law School Community:
In the midst of a global pandemic, we continue to grapple with the violence and threat of violence perpetrated against Black people and other communities of color. The recent killing of George Floyd—whose last words evoke memories of the 2014 death of Eric Garner—is just the latest in a long list of too many other tragedies. While we know the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, there are countless others whose experiences will never make headlines, whose names and stories we will never know, whose lives mattered. This grief weighs heavily on many in our community; I know it does on me.
It is hard to find the words to meet this moment. It can be even more difficult to know what to do. Yet it is clear there is tremendous work that must be done to address the injustices in our systems and the acute ways they affect the most marginalized among us. We must pledge to do more as individuals and as a community. Change will not come easily, but problems of criminal justice, racial justice, and fair policing are deep societal problems that demand attention. As lawyers, professors, students, and citizens of the world, we all have both an opportunity and an obligation to seek solutions.
There are ways to get involved right here in our own community and to have a real impact that honors the legacy of those whose lives have been lost. Our Criminal Justice Lab, Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law, and Policing Project are working in these areas and welcome your outreach. You can contact any of the members of the Inclusion & Diversity Committee, which helps advance the Law School’s commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity. I would also encourage you to reach out to PILC, the Office of Student Affairs, or the Dean's Office to learn about additional ways to get involved here on campus or through external organizations.
We stand together. And together we can help make real and lasting change.
Please take care of yourselves and each other.
Trevor Morrison
Posted June 1, 2020