[Agvisors] Fwd: Enough is Enough

Azzi, Maya - (mazzi) mazzi at email.arizona.edu
Mon Jun 8 16:43:49 MST 2020 

Dear Agvisors,

In response to Dean Burgess’s email,  I want to note a few critical items in hopes that we can have continued more fruitful conversation. I do not know where everyone is at with the understanding of current (and past) events, so please know these points are in response to the Dean’s email.


  *   In Dean Burgess’s email he says, “ George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis is the latest of thousands of unacceptable tragedies for Black lives over hundreds of years. All of these lives mattered. Since the video of Mr. Floyd's desperate pleas to breathe became public, like you I have been horrified, angry, fearful, felt helpless, frustrated, and sorrowful.”

George Floyd’s murder is certainly a catalyst to these current protests because of several reasons (video footage is top on the list),  however, since March there have been the murders of the following Black people: Breonna Taylor, Monika Diamond, Ahmaud Abery, Nina Pop, George Floyd, Dion Johnson (in PHX on the same day as George Floyd), and Tony McDade.

     *   I want to point out that Black Trans folx, as well as Black women, often do not get the same media coverage as Black Men. This is problematic as on the list above these individuals make up more than half of the list. To only highlight George Floyd when speaking out to the community is problematic because it perpetuates this issue.
     *   Let say it as it is, these are murders not deaths. Sugar coating this fact only further hurts the Black community.


  *   I encourage each of you to listen to 22 minute podcast embedded at the top of the linked article. You cannot just read the article and get the same information and you have to listen to the whole podcast. It breaks down past, present, and future realities of the murder of Black people and what is needed for change.

     *   https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/865261916/a-decade-of-watching-black-people-die


  *   I need it to be very clear that it is NOT the duty of Black people, a Black friend, a Black family member, a Black student, or a Black colleague to teach White people, or non-Black people of color of privilege or how we need you. There is countless information available. This isn’t personal, however, Black people already have so much emotional and physical labor that they have given for centuries. It is critical that others step up and do this learning.


  *   There is a difference between Black and African-American, please take time to learn that


  *   It is critical to take a hard reflection about how individual’s engage in allyship. Please take time to learn basic do’s and don’ts of being an ally. This is an article that I find helpful for those that want to learn more

     *   https://guidetoallyship.com/

The ALVSCE D&I Council will be sending out an email of a comprehensive resource guide on further learning and actionable opportunities.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and being open to learning. I do not speak for all Black people in what I have shared. Please know what I have shared is a perspective that I have taken from learning and educating myself, even as a Black woman I too must take time to learn because learning is for everyone.

Sincerely,
Maya


[cidimage001.png at 01D600E8.B1ED7430]
Maya Azzi, M.S.
Academic Advisor II & CALS-ASEMS Liaison
School of Plant Sciences
Arizona’s Science, Engineering, and Math Scholars
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
View my Trellis calendar – Click Here<https://ua-trellis.force.com/uastudent/s/advisor-calendar/?NetId=mazzi>

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PO BOX 210036 | TUCSON, AZ 85721-0036
Office: 520-621-5403 | Work Cell: 520-276-5409
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[Integrety, Compassion, Exploration, Adaptation, Inclusion, Determination]<https://brand.arizona.edu/signature>

ASEMS fosters a culture of inclusive excellence at the University of Arizona by empowering STEM students with the tools necessary to succeed while recognizing their unique backgrounds and assets.

The University of Arizona sits on the original homelands of Indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land since time immemorial. Aligning with the university’s core value of a diverse and inclusive community, it is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture, and history that make up the Wildcat community. At the institutional level, it is important to be practice in broadening awareness throughout campus to ensure our students feel represented and valued.


From: Agvisors <agvisors-bounces at list.cals.arizona.edu> on behalf of "Rodriguez Lorta, Nancy G - (nancyr)" <nancyr at arizona.edu>
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 4:54 PM
To: "'agvisors at list.cals.arizona.edu'" <agvisors at list.cals.arizona.edu>
Cc: "Burgess, Shane C - (shaneburgess)" <sburgess at cals.arizona.edu>
Subject: [Agvisors] Fwd: Enough is Enough

Greetings Agvisors - below is Dean Burgess’ message to all CALS students along with action items. Please speak up and voice concerns whether yours or as an advocate to students and peers.

UA Clicks and welcome event (part 2 of orientation)  is the message reminder from the Dean to all: “I have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind, at any time and in any place. We will have 100% fairness, equity, and inclusion.”

Be well,
Nancy

Nancy G. Rodriguez-Lorta, M.Ed.
Senior Director, Advising and Student Services
UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Office of Career & Academic Services
Forbes Room 203 | PO Box 210036 |Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Phone: (520) 621-3616 | Fax: (520) 621-8662
Website: cals.arizona.edu/students/advising
To schedule an appointment call (520) 621-3616
Reasons reap results – J. Kwik
________________________________
From: Burgess, Shane C - (shaneburgess) <sburgess at cals.arizona.edu>
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2020 9:04 PM
To: cals-students-undergraduate at list.arizona.edu; cals-students-graduate at list.arizona.edu
Cc: Schuch, Ursula K - (uschuch); Staten, Michael E - (statenm); Antin, Parker B - (pba); Limesand, Kirsten H - (limesank); Hunt, James E - (jeh); Rodriguez Lorta, Nancy G - (nancyr)
Subject: Enough is Enough

Dear CALS undergraduate and graduate students,

It has been far too long--nearly three months--since I saw your faces and heard your voices in the classrooms, hallways, laboratories and common areas of our college. You have been in my thoughts almost constantly since the university moved its classrooms online. I miss your energy and enthusiasm. And I know this change has brought on incredible academic and personal challenges for you.

Now, all of us at the University of Arizona and across the country, and the world, have come face-to-face again with an abhorrent reality of racism. It is long past time that we faced up to it as individuals and as a society.

George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis is the latest of thousands of unacceptable tragedies for Black lives over hundreds of years. All of these lives mattered. Since the video of Mr. Floyd's desperate pleas to breathe became public, like you I have been horrified, angry, fearful, felt helpless, frustrated, and sorrowful.

People living in free and equitable societies do not plead to breathe. They do not fear walking on a street because of their skin color. I cannot imagine what it must be like to fear for my son's safety, or even life, were he to be pulled over by a police officer. But my friends imagine it every time their sons are driving because they have Black skin. They can imagine it vividly because they have dealt with it personally as Black men. Not having to fear about this is one of my white privileges.

While I learned this from my friends, I also learned that I will never fully understand their experience of daily life in our nation. But this will not stop me from making a choice and I choose to stand wholly with them against racial discrimination by police and anyone else.

I believe it is simply unacceptable that anyone face prejudice, injustice, lack of hope, physical or mental abuse, or die simply because of how they look. I support and stand with everyone who exercises their democratic right to say "enough is enough, now!"

Every August we hold your college's first year student orientation. I hope you were there when you were a recent high school graduate, or transferring from community college, or back from serving in our military, or making any other change in life. I want to remind you of the single most important thing I said then:

I have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind, at any time and in any place. We will have 100% fairness, equity, and inclusion.

This is absolute and unambiguous.

Your college will be a place where you can pursue your academic goals and grow in your personal lives without fear of anything, and certainly not discrimination or physical safety. Injustice, inequality and any and every form of prejudice and discrimination have no place here. Together we must accept nothing less than actively promoting and introducing processes to achieve fairness, inclusiveness, diversity, equality, and equity for everyone.

When you come back to campus, I want you to know that every face you see--our faculty, staff, fellow students, and especially mine--is fully committed to inclusivity and respect. If you are not feeling at peace, are scared, are not feeling seen or heard, or not feeling protected, or feeling coerced, or if you are verbally or physically attacked, I want to know about it.

I want to hear you, and I will immediate take every action I can to remedy your situation.

On June 1, I sent a similar message to all College personnel: https://alvsce.arizona.edu/sites/alvsce.arizona.edu/files/1june2020.pdf

Please take advantage of the University of Arizona’s resources available for you to express your concerns or share your thoughts:

  *   Office of Institutional Equity<https://equity.arizona.edu/>
  *   African American Student Affairs<https://aasa.arizona.edu/>
  *   Counseling and Psych Services<https://health.arizona.edu/counseling-psych-services>
  *   Dean of Students Office<https://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/support/student-assistance>
Contact me personally directly at sburgess at cals.arizona.edu<mailto:sburgess at cals.arizona.edu>

To hear you, I will hold two town halls.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS at 12-1 p.m. on Monday, June 8 https://arizona.zoom.us/j/96405846917

GRADUATE STUDENTS at 1-2 p.m. on Monday, June 8 https://arizona.zoom.us/j/98667613779

I have requested that our Diversity & Inclusion Council immediately act on your needs. There will be safe spaces to discuss your issues and for us all to learn. There will be separate events for graduate students, undergraduate students, and employees who identify as part of the African American community and for those of us who are allies.

More information about these forums will be distributed early next week. Please contact Dr. Ursula Schuch, Special Assistant to the Vice President, Diversity and Inclusiveness, uschuch at email.arizona.edu<mailto:uschuch at email.arizona.edu> if you have input on how our Diversity & Inclusion Council can best help you.

Sincerely,
Shane C. Burgess





Shane C. Burgess
Vice President for Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension
Charles-Sander Dean of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Forbes Building, Room 306 | 1140 E. South Campus Drive
P.O. Box 210036 | Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Office: 520-621-7621
sburgess at cals.arizona.edu<mailto:sburgess at cals.arizona.edu>
alvsce.arizona.edu<https://alvsce.arizona.edu/>
cals.arizona.edu<https://cals.arizona.edu/>
twitter<https://twitter.com/UAAgLifeVetExt>


The University of Arizona is located statewide on the ancestral homelands of indigenous peoples.
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