Harris Community,

It pains me that, once again, our community is shaken by the horrifying acts of violence against people of color in our society.  We write today to express that Harris stands in solidarity with our Asian and Asian-American community in the wake of the brutal killings in Atlanta, and that we vehemently oppose – in no uncertain terms – acts of violence, racism, and bias against people of Asian descent around the world.  It is important that we hold our gaze both on the personal and the systemic tragedy.  The personal tragedy of the irreplaceable human lives lost – and the families and loved ones who will never be the same.  And, the systemic racism that results in the unconscionable reality that people of color lose their lives to violence at a higher rate than whites.

We are living in troubling times, and I know very little can give our community comfort when confronted with racism, bias, and violence in the headlines or in our own lived experiences.  I encourage you to reach out to your academic advisor, to me, or to Michelle Hoereth, if you need support or accommodations.

I would also like to remind you of the counseling services available free of charge through the UChicago Student Wellness Center as well as resources through the Office of Spiritual Life.  In the message from Provost Lee and Michele Rasmussen, you can find a more complete list of University resources to support members of our community who have experienced acts of bias or feel under threat. 

You can also sign up for a free bystander intervention training through the organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago.

The diversity of our school, which has been enriched by the strength of our Asian community, is something to be treasured.  We must guard our values of diversity and inclusion during these difficult times and support one and other. 

Sincerely,

Kate Shannon Biddle

Dean of Students
Pronouns: she/her

Michelle Hoereth

Assistant Dean, Diversity and Inclusion
Pronouns: she/her

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