SUBJECT:

Statement on George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery

Today our hearts are burdened, our minds are searching, and our spirits
are processing a mix of disbelief, anger and sadness. The news of George
Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on Monday night and the disturbing video of
his final moments has shocked the world. Taken in context with the
recent killings of Breonna Taylor (by police in her own home) and Ahmaud
Arbery (by neighbors while jogging), our black community members, in
particular, are outraged, traumatized, fearful and in profound pain.

Grief and concern in their purest forms have been made even more
poignant during this time of great uncertainty due to the global public
health crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has magnified the long history
of racism in our country, ongoing inequity, and the status quo of the
dehumanization of our fellow Black Americans.

HOW DO WE REACT? WHAT DO WE DO? WHERE DO WE START?
We begin by extending our sincere, heartfelt sympathies to the loved
ones of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. We join in
mourning their unspeakably tragic and untimely deaths. We stand in
solidarity with our black family, friends and neighbors in their time of
need and help them shoulder their everyday lives so that they have the
necessary time to mourn and process the deeper meanings of these losses.
And most importantly, no matter how painful, difficult or uncomfortable,
we must review these events with full transparency and recognize there
are systemic problems in our society that desperately need our
attention, time and energy to remedy.

We must recognize the violation of human rights and the devastating
effects that systemic racism, oppression and violence have on the
safety, security and health of communities of color. We cannot let these
acts be normalized or allow ourselves to become numb to them. The
University of California San Diego unequivocally condemns the
disproportionate use of excessive force by some police in communities of
color.

We also denounce vigilante acts that terrorize members of the community
based upon race, ethnicity, country of origin, religion, disability,
gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We as a community must
not and will not tolerate acts of hate, bias or violence. We are
committed to doing what can be done within our institution to make sure
everyone feels that they belong and that they matter. This should be our
commitment to ourselves and to each other.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
In the coming weeks, our Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and
Inclusion has planned community conversations to provide spaces for
healing and identifying ways to be agents of change in this moment.
Details are forthcoming and will be communicated via campus notice.

We know that statements such as these do not resolve the intractable
issues we face as a country. We know it does not even begin to heal the
hurt and trauma caused by structural and systemic racism and
discrimination. Collectively, let us continue to work together for a
more just, equitable and humane society in our service, activism,
pedagogy, and community and collaborative efforts.

Pradeep K. Khosla Chancellor Elizabeth H. Simmons Executive Vice Chancellor Maripat Corr Chair, San Diego Divisional Academic Senate Steven Constable Vice Chair, San Diego Divisional Academic Senate David A. Brenner Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Margaret S. Leinen Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences Sandra A. Brown Vice Chancellor for Research Gary C. Matthews Vice Chancellor Resource Management and Planning Pierre Ouillet Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Becky R. Petitt Vice Chancellor Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Alysson Satterlund Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Judy Bruner Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Anne L. Buckley Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Vince Kellen Chief Information Officer Patty Maysent Chief Executive Officer for UC San Diego Health Daniel W. Park Chief Campus Counsel Nancy Resnick Chief Human Resource Officer David S. Rose Chief of Police Michael Trigilio Chair of the Committee on Diversity and Equity San Diego Divisional Academic Senate