Dear Coug Family,

With the devastating events that have unfolded in the last couple of weeks, we would like to formally state that the ASWSUTC Executive team stands for Black Lives Matter. The grave injustices committed against George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor reiterates the disregard for Black lives in our culture and highlights a destructive pattern that must be fixed. All three were killed by men who swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States at one time or another, and they all failed in the most fundamental way possible.

As your representatives, we understand the privileges that other communities have over the Black community. Centuries of systematic and systemic oppression have created and exacerbated extreme levels of inequality. We want to use our platform to shine light on the issues and give voice to the Black community, by standing alongside them in the face of racism, oppression, and inequality.

We ask that all WSU administration, faculty, staff, and students continue to push for conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion. Having these conversations within our network of family, friends, and colleagues, with immense consideration on the Black community, is just one of the many things we must do to bring about change. These may be difficult conversations; however, only through hard or uncomfortable conversations, can we truly recognize our privilege and learn to empathize with others.

We also ask that the entire WSU community support our Black community at this time. Some ways to get involved include donating, signing petitions, supporting locally-owned Black businesses, protesting, having conversations, and educating ourselves on the history of Black America to better understand why current events are unfolding this way and how we got here.

In this time, we feel it is unacceptable to be silent. Instead, we must stand with the Black community, because standing up for one, is standing up for all. We cannot dismiss, look away, or ignore what is happening because we feel uncomfortable. That is what change is all about; it is often painful and challenging. However, simply not being a racist is insufficient. Instead, this is a  time where we need to intentionally be Anti-Racist, condemning those who seek to divide us. We ask our communities to keep applying pressure on all levels of government; otherwise, tangible change may not arise. We see you. We hear you. We stand with you.

Sincerely,

Robin Kovis                                     Stephanie Warner

ASWSUTC President                         ASWSUTC Vice President