Supporting Our Communities of Color and Other Minoritized Groups
A Message from Dean McGuire
To Our University College Community,
I write today to acknowledge the distressing current events impacting our communities, and mourn with you over the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and many others as a result of a pattern of systemic racism in our country.
As a community that rejects racism and injustice and embraces inclusivity, equity, and diversity, together, we must act to support our communities of color and other minoritized groups: Speak out against injustice; listen to those whose voices have been silenced; hold space for one another; and truly comprehend the history, systems, and processes that have perpetuated oppression.
Let’s reflect on our University College values: honor the individual, champion learning, transform lives, work together, and pursue excellence. If we look at these values through the lens of social justice, I think you’ll find they are applicable and relevant to our work in achieving an inclusive and equitable world. I encourage all of us to enact these values in our personal and professional lives as we commit to breaking cycles of oppression.
Campus Life & Inclusive Excellence will be offering webinars and resources for self-reflection on Wednesday, and the Community + Values with Inclusion & Equity Education will host an Ally/Accomplice Webinar on Thursday. For details about these offerings, please visit the CLIE website.
If you need support at this moment, I encourage you to access these resources:
- University of Denver Health and Counseling Center
- University of Denver Inclusive Excellence Resources
- University of Denver Campus Climate Dashboard
- University College Diversity and Inclusivity Statement
- Responding to Trauma in the Classroom by Dr. Valentina Iturbe-LaGrave, DU Director for Inclusive Teaching Practices
Sincerely,
Michael McGuire
Dean, University College