Dear Members of the Campus Community,
We awoke this morning to news of yet another horrific mass killing in our country. In the past few years, we have witnessed the carnage in Florida, Nevada, Texas, Pennsylvania, and more—and now in Thousand Oaks, California. This scourge of violence and loss of life is devastating. We stand with grieving people to offer comfort and support, especially the families of those who have been killed and our colleagues on the college campuses near the scene of this morning’s shooting. Our hearts go out to the many members of our campus community who call Los Angeles home.
It can be difficult to know where to turn in the face of so many acts that threaten our collective safety and way of life. Yet, I see all around us a community that is strong and committed to employing our voices, hearts, and hands to make our world a better, safer, more just, and humane place.
In the past week, I have been privileged to meet with those who joined the Black Student Union in a march to support those affected by sexual violence, racial discrimination, and threats to the rights of trans and non-binary people. I witnessed a protest by students called to action in the face of climate change. We welcomed to campus the Tacoma Refugee Choir and continue to work on behalf of DACA. Our campus community members are engaged in research and scholarship and working in hospitals, churches, prisons, and an array of governmental, not-for-profit, and social service agencies to address the most challenging issues of our time. We are and must remain undaunted in this vital work to sustain the great experiment known as the United States of America.
Today we grieve another senseless tragedy claiming the lives of innocent people. Please avail yourselves of the resources available to you here on campus. Reach out to one another and hold your friends, families, and colleagues close. Our community makes us stronger and gives us hope.
Isiaah
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President