Dear MCB Community,

We write to express our anger and profound sadness over the recent events that have shaken the country. The murder of George Floyd is only the latest in a long series of senseless killings of Black Americans. We condemn the recent episodes of anti-Black violence by the police, and we stand in solidarity with the Black community. These events epitomize the devastating and lethal effects of structural racism and inequality in our society, which extend to other communities of color and include the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Latinx, and Native American communities. In the face of these injustices, we want to reassert our Department's core values of embracing diversity, inclusion, and equity.   
 
We join UC Berkeley's Chancellor in standing against racism in its many forms, against not only black and brown communities but also our community members who are undocumented or of Chinese citizenship recently targeted by Federal directives. We reject any message that seeks to divide us in this time when coming together to repair our nation is most important.
 
These events will induce us to redouble our efforts to look within our own Departmental structures to root out those that contribute to the perpetuation of inequities. We welcome your suggestions for supporting an inclusive climate and for action.
  
We encourage you to check in with your peers and colleagues and offer to listen, empathize, and provide support to each other. The Chancellor's message included a listing of available campus resources to help. The UC Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute provide additional perspectives and links to web resources. We encourage you to reach out to Departmental leadership (Chairs, Head Graduate Advisor, Equity Advisor, Department Manager, and/or the Director of Student Services) to talk about anything that you may be experiencing and need assistance with. We are here for you.

The MCB Co-Chairs,

David Drubin & Donald Rio