OHIO Division of Diversity and Inclusion mourns killing of Daunte Wright and invites University community to open forum
The OHIO Division of Diversity and Inclusion joins our community in profound sorrow at the killing of 20-year-old Black man Daunte Wright on Sunday in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Mr. Wright was shot dead during a traffic stop while the officer attempted to arrest him. The local police chief later released a statement saying the officer had attempted to deploy a Taser to subdue Mr. Wright and drew her gun by mistake. The police chief and officer have since both resigned.
We share our OHIO community’s grief about the events in Minnesota and share the anger at how these repeated incidents affect our African American community members, particularly African American men.
Mr. Wright’s killing took place in the same Minnesota city where Derek Chauvin is currently standing trial for the death of George Floyd. Mr. Floyd’s death sparked massive protests in support of racial justice in the summer of 2020. Together, these two moments in time – a recent killing and a legal reckoning over a past killing – are deeply painful reminders of the unrelenting sense of fear that African Americans and other people of color face on a daily basis.
One reminder of this heightened anxiety came last December in Virginia. US Army officer Caron Nazario, who is Black and Latino, feared for his life when two police officers pointed guns at him during a traffic stop before pepper spraying him and pushing him to the ground. Lt. Nazario’s attorney has filed a federal lawsuit seeking compensatory damages.
To all our Bobcats: We know that these stories can feel like part of an endless stream flashing across our screens. We also know that these events and reports represent ongoing trauma and pain that no statement can alleviate. But we want to you to know that you are not alone.
Resources for Students, Faculty, and Staff
- Our staff members will continue to work to empower communities who are most marginalized and their allies. If you need or want to process your thoughts and emotions, the staff members in our Division of Diversity and Inclusion stand ready to support you. Please reach out to diversityinclusion@ohio.edu or any of our offices: the LGBT Center, the Multicultural Center, the Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention (OMSAR) or the Women’s Center.
- Students are also invited to learn more about multicultural student organizations to build community and find belonging.
- In addition, Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) is an important resource for all OHIO students. Call 740-593-1616 if you need to reach a counselor during an emergency or want to talk to someone immediately. True Selves, a support group designed to support students of color, is one initiative within CPS.
- We encourage faculty and staff to create space to acknowledge the pain that many of our students are feeling. And we encourage our faculty and staff to create space for themselves as well and learn about employee affinity organizations at Ohio University.
Moving Forward: Community Forum on Monday 4/19 and Diversity Leadership Institute on Thursday 4/22
- We invite the OHIO community to share space, thoughts, and support in relation to the events in Minnesota during a Community Forum this coming Monday 4/19 at 12 noon. The conversation will be hosted by Dr. Kristyn Neckles from CPS and will include a discussion about future ways to create supportive and affirming spaces for African American men and other men of color at Ohio University.
Please register for the Community Forum here.
- Consider attending the 3rd annual Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) on Thursday 4/22 with the theme “Pathways to Anti-Racism.” The DLI brings together students, faculty, staff, community members, and outside experts to discover strategies to foster a sustainable anti-racist campus and community culture. This year’s keynote address, from 10 – 11 a.m., will be given by Dr. James D. Anderson. Dr. Anderson is dean of the College of Education, the Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor of Education, and affiliate professor of History, African American Studies, and Law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Learn more about the DLI and register here.
In solidarity,
The OHIO Division of Diversity and Inclusion