Dear campus community,
Today, a memorial service for George Floyd will be held in Minneapolis. As we acknowledge his senseless death, let us take a moment together to reflect.
In this message, the University of California Academic Senate, which represents Senate faculty throughout the entire UC, has called on the UC community to observe a moment of silence and reflection at 11 a.m. Pacific time today, Thursday, June 4.
If you are able, I invite you to turn off Zoom, set aside your work responsibilities, and join me in this observance. I realize this is also the time to lift our voices in calling for justice, so I hope you all are finding your own unique ways to do that as well. This is a moment unlike any I have experienced in my lifetime.
As an institution of higher learning, it is our role and responsibility to examine and teach about the critical, challenging and at times thorny issues facing our society. Please be aware of three events taking place next week that aim to advance the dialogue about issues that have been painfully brought to light over the past several days:
Berkeley Law will hold this webcast on race and policing on Monday, June 8, from 12:50 to 2 p.m.
The Othering and Belonging Institute will hold an online event (YouTube and Facebook Live) on Monday, June 8, from 2-3:30 p.m., featuring organizers on the frontlines in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, along with our own Professor john a. powell, and Rev. Michael McBride (Live Free USA and Faith in Action). Speakers will examine the history of police violence and inequality on the Black community, the current context of white supremacy and Black resistance, and the possibilities and strategies for a racial justice future. Visit the Othering and Belonging website and Berkeley News on Monday for more information.
The Berkeley Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will hold a series of events under the title, “America’s Unfinished Work,” taken from a line in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The first in the series will feature Lawrence Rosenthal, founder and chair of the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies, on Tuesday, June 9, at 3:30 p.m. who will speak about the role of white supremacist groups in the current crisis, and the global rise of far-right and nationalist regimes. Join the event via Zoom at this link:https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/95881505320
This message was sent to all UC Berkeley faculty, staff and students.
If you are a manager who supervises UC Berkeley employees without email access, please circulate this information to all.
