UCI Cross-Cultural Center: Black Life is Sacred.
Black Life is Sacred.
Our spirit is truly with all of our Black community members at this time.
We mourn and grieve for the families and loved ones of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and acknowledge many local racist and anti-Black incidents that have not received the same amount of national attention.
The movement for Black Liberation requires that each of us interrogate how deep-seated racism, anti-Blackness, systemic oppression and white supremacy are at the core of each incident leading to the loss of Black life. We must break these cycles of dominance and work diligently towards intersectional justice.
Over the weekend, those who protested peacefully encountered more racist acts of violence in cities and neighborhoods across the country. Many of our friends, loved ones and families are personally affected at this moment. Please hold space for those who are impacted and check-in.
This is a moment of reckoning, and for far too many years, these racist and anti-Black incidents have occurred on our own campus and at the hands of UCI affiliated individuals. As a campus, we have much work to do. It is time that each of us examine our own behavior and beliefs, honor our freedom fighters, and continue the movement towards Black Liberation.
At this time, the Cross-Cultural Center commits to holding space for those who need it. We have organized several community discussions for students this week
- Healing Circle presented by ACTIVE: Tuesday, June 2 from 2-3:30 p.m.
- Community Empower Hour: Thursday, June 4 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
- REAL Talk: Thursday, June 4 from 2-3:30 p.m.
Please find detailed information regarding Zoom meeting IDs as well as other resources and information via our social media channels (@ucicrossculturalcenter).
We have also compiled the following educational resources for folks to learn more about the over 400 years of hxstory that contextualize our present moment. This is by no means an exhaustive list and we welcome your additions and recommendations to keep this list growing.
We also encourage you to take care of yourself during this time. As a reminder, the Counseling Center is providing critical mental health support and services virtually. For more information, please visit their website at counseling.uci.edu or follow them on social.
In Support and Solidarity,
Cross-Cultural Center Staff
Dr. Marcela Ramirez-Stapleton, Director
Daniel K. Park, Associate Director
Raven Stewart, Program Coordinator
Ashlee Whitehead, Student Development Coordinator
Cristian Palomo, Office & Events Manager
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Educational Resources in the Media
- ACLU Know Your Rights – Protesters Rights (link)
- 26 Ways to be in the Struggle Beyond the Streets (link)
- Timeline of Events that led to 2020 Uprisings (link)
Educational Documentaries and Videos
- “13th” directed by Ava DuVernay on Netflix
- “When They See Us” also directed by Ava DuVernay on Netflix
- 2020 Dr. Joseph L. White Lecture featuring Dr. Yusef Salaam hosted by the Cross-Cultural Center (link)
Recommended Reading List
- “From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation” by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
- “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander
- “Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist mandate for Radical Movements” by Charlene A. Carruthers
- “How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective” by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
- 20 Essential Black History Books: The Anti-Racist Reading List (link)
- 31 Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance (link)
- Reading Guide for Fighting Racism (link)