06/04/2020

Dear Student-Athletes and the greater Loyola University of Chicago Community,

Black Lives matter, and until Black lives matter, it is impossible for all lives to matter.  We stand with the protestors and support the freedom to peacefully and lawfully assemble.  Lives are more important than property. Things can be replaced. People cannot.  We express the spirit of "Cura Personalis," an expression of Ignatian spirituality, which translates from Latin as "care for the entire person." Cura Personalis suggests that we should provide individualized attention to the needs of the other. In that vein, we make the following recommendations.

For Black and Brown members of our community, please understand, you are under no obligation to soothe anyone because they are finally hurting. You do not have to explain racism to anyone. That is not your burden. Take care of yourself.  For allies, there is a ton of information available for you if you want to help the Black and Brown members of our community heal today and be safe tomorrow. Below is a short reading list:

• Of Course There Are Protests.The State Is Failing Black Peopleby Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor explores how the state fails Black people and why protests are a rational response.
• Policing the Colony: From the American Revolution to Ferguson:Adapted from Chris Hayes's book, this essay covers the protests in Ferguson, Missouri. It considers how Black and Brown people live in a colony in a nation of White people, and how policing mirrors this understanding.
• Violent Protests Are Not the Story. Police Violence Is:This article explains how the racism inherent in the U.S. criminal justice system.
• In Defense of Looting:This article lays out the practical, tactical, and political benefits of rioting and looting.
• Remember, No One is Coming to Save Usby Roxane Gay examines the relationship between racism and the pandemic response.
• For Cops Who Kill, Special Supreme Court Protection:This is a report on qualified immunity, which is the largest barrier to police accountability.
• Whiteness as Property:This is a strong introduction to critical race and abolitionist theory.
• The End of Policing by Alex Vitale examines the broken status quo of modern policing, and that maybe we should abolish it.

For those in the community ready to move from grief to action, here are concrete steps that our office supports:

• Take political action by calling for change from state and local lawmakers and officials (e.g., calling and writing their offices), and donating funds to bail out organizations for protestors or other on the ground efforts. You can find more information about this via social media and other internet-based platforms (e.g., Google). Click this link for more great information about ways to get informed, take action, and get engaged.
• Donate to community bailout funds.
• Support research-based solutions to stop police violence.

If you are financially able, donate to funds explicitly addressing issues of racial injustice:

• George Floyd Memorial Fund: Give to the George Floyd Memorial Fund
• Stand with Bre: Support Breonna Taylor who was wrongfully killed, by signing this petition.
• Minnesota Freedom Fund: The Minnesota Freedom Fund pays criminal bail and immigration bonds for those who cannot afford it. They seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing.
• NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America's premier legal organization fighting for racial justice.
• Unicorn Riot (grassroots news): Support Independent Journalism - Unicorn Riot is a decentralized, educational 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization of artists and journalists. Their work is dedicated to exposing root causes of dynamic social and environmental issues through amplifying stories and exploring sustainable alternatives in today's globalized world.

We must all take active steps in our everyday lives to address these issues. Here are some resources to access and share with others you know because, "In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist." - Angela Davis:

• Anti-racism: See this site for resources on anti-racism.
• Dismantle racism: See this site for more information on how to dismantle racism.

Together, we can end systematic oppression, police brutality, and move towards a world where Black lives matter, so that all lives may matter.  Finally, Student Diversity & Multicultural Affairs has a Solidarity Campaign. You can find more information and join this cause on their website.

                                              In Power and Solidarity,

                                              Student-Athlete Academic Services