SURPAS stands against racism and hate
June 1, 2020
A letter of solidarity from the SURPAS leadership team
Dear Stanford Postdoc Community,
The violence against Black people and Black communities that we have seen over the last few weeks has been deeply disturbing and all too familiar. Every contemporary act of violence that is committed against Black minds and bodies – each terrible in and of themselves – exists within the context of the awful racial injustices of the past 400 years. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed and Ahmaud Arbery, and the disproportionate toll of COVID-19 on Black communities are the most recent horrifying examples of the incredible inequities that still exist within our society.
We at SURPAS stand in solidarity with all those who are working to end racism, structural violence and white supremacy. We stand against hate. We stand against racism in all its forms. We stand against anti-Black sentiment.
In particular, at this moment we stand with the Stanford Black Postdoc Association (SBPA) and every member of our Black community that has been impacted by these recent events.
Whilst with humility we take our lead from the SBPA, we also acknowledge that the responsibility for combating racism cannot fall solely on the shoulders of the oppressed. We must all take responsibility for dismantling the institutionalized and internalized racism that surrounds us.
As future leaders of the broader academic community, it is crucial that each of us take responsibility for working to end racism within all of the spaces that we inhabit. We encourage you to reach out to one another to offer support during this time.
We understand that now is a very trying time for so many within our community and we offer our support. You can find support on campus through the following resources:
Additional mental health resources can be found here
The Office for Religious Life offers spiritual guidance.
If you have the means to do so, please consider donating to the following organizations that are working in this space:
Minnesota Freedom Fund (bail out for protesters) https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate
Black Visions Collective (QT & Black led organizing committee) https://secure.everyaction.com/4omQDAR0oUiUagTu0EG-Ig2
Reclaim The Block (Police divestment org in minneapolis) https://secure.everyaction.com/zae4prEeKESHBy0MKXTIcQ2
North Star Health Collective (on the ground medical supplies and personnel) https://www.northstarhealthcollective.org/donate
Campain Zero (The comprehensive platform of research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America) https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
If you would like to do more but are not sure how, here are some links that you might find useful:
Please take care of yourself and your family. We stand with you. And as always, you can reach out to SURPAS leadership directly, at any time at surpasleadership@stanford.edu.
In solidarity,
SURPAS Leadership
