USC schedules discussions and issues statements of support in wake of George Floyd protests

The USC community is marking the unrest and conversations in the wake of George Floyd’s death with a number of virtual events as well as statements of support from throughout the Trojan Family. The events and statements are being updated as additional information becomes available.

Last update: 1:10 p.m. June 22

EVENTS

Many already-held events can be viewed by following the respective links. Scheduled events include:

Tuesday, June 2:

• The USC Kaufman School of Dance will participate in Blackout Tuesday today, refraining from social media posting and identifying actions to support the community. Learn more about the initiative at The Show Must Be Paused website.

Wednesday, June 3:

• The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism will host a student-focused Dean’s Community Forum at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The program is exclusively for students, faculty and staff, who will receive a Zoom link by email.
• The USC School of Dramatic Arts will hold a CommUNITY Conversation and Collective Call to Action hosted by Anita Dashiell-Sparks, associate dean for equity, diversity and inclusion, at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The public can watch the event on YouTube; the school’s students, faculty and staff will receive a Zoom link to participate.
• The Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs will host an open forum titled “Speaking Out Loud: Enough is Enough” at 1 p.m. Wednesday. This forum will provide a safe space for Black students, staff, faculty, and allies to decompress and have a rich dialogue about anti-Blackness and the many systemic issues that plague the Pan-African community in America. Join the event via the Zoom link.

Thursday, June 4:

• The USC Race and Equity Center will hold a national forum for businesses, “Demonstrating Care for Black Employees This Week and Beyond,” at noon Thursday. Moderated by the center’s executive director, Shaun Harper, the panel discussion will address corporate responses to the murder of George Floyd, the resulting nationwide civil unrest, actions leaders and white colleagues can take to address racism in workplaces, and a range of other timely topics. Participants should register beforehand; a link will be sent to registrants two hours before the event.
• The USC Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy will host Open Community Circles for all of its faculty, staff and students via Zoom on Thursday and again June 8.

Friday, June 5:

• At Keck Medicine of USC and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, staff will observe White Coats for Black Lives starting at 10 a.m. Friday. Participants are encouraged to stand alongside their colleagues for 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence to show solidarity for racial equality and justice for all. At the Health Sciences Campus, the event will occur on the Pappas Quad and in the plaza between HC1 and HC2 at Keck Hospital of USC. At the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, the event will occur on the fourth-floor patio near executive offices. (Please remember to wear a mask while maintaining 6-foot social distancing.)
• The USC Marshall School of Business’ Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is hosting the USC Marshall Community Conversation: A Collective Call to Action at noon Friday. The USC Marshall community will examine how it can lead the change to dismantle hatred, oppression, prejudice and discrimination, particularly anti-Black racism that has persisted over the past 400 years. Participants should register beforehand.
• The Department of English at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences will cohost a conversation titled “Black Lives Matter: Writers Talk Back” at 4 p.m. Friday. The conversation, featuring authors and poets Ishmael Reed, Danzy Senna and Douglas Manuel and moderated by Dana Johnson, will be streamed live on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and redhen.org.

Tuesday, June 9:

• The USC Office of Religious and Spiritual Life will host an online vigil at 1 p.m. Tuesday. The “Say Their Names: Honoring Black Lives” event, in which the university community is invited to gather and observe 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence together, will take place via Zoom.
• The USC Gould School of Law will host a USC Gould Community Conversation: A Discussion on Law, Race and Inequality at 1 p.m. Tuesday. The program is open to USC Gould students, faculty and staff, who will receive a Zoom link by email.

From the vice president of human resources:

“No community in this nation has been untouched by these events and, like many, I struggle to find the words to express all that I am experiencing right now.

As a Black woman who grew up in the rural South, there is not a day that goes by that I don’t pray for my 17-year-old son, as well as my almost-grown daughter. Will they come home tonight or will they have the unfortunate occasion of coming into contact with some form of authority who just can’t get past their Blackness? The adults I knew growing up had a personal commitment to eliminating systemic discrimination and racism. The heaviness of these past weeks has reinvigorated my commitment to doing the same.

“But this I know: the status quo cannot continue; each of us must do our part to eliminate such injustice.”

— Felicia Washington, senior vice president of human resources

Read Washington’s full statement

From the USC Department of Public Safety:

“I must extend respect to the women and men who make up the vast majority of peace officers in this nation, who continue to model the best of compassionate public service. However, let me be blatantly clear: The actions of the officers responsible for Mr. Floyd’s murder (who, in my opinion, do not deserve to be called either peace officers or public servants) were cowardly, heinous, and criminal. I am angry at the officers responsible for murdering Mr. Floyd who, in less than 10 minutes, managed to erase years of public service provided by the vast majority of peace officers who have worked diligently in communities across America to try to repair procedural justice, address quality of life issues, and build mutual respect, many while trying their best to keep many of our most challenging communities safe. …

“Although Mr. Floyd’s execution came as a shock to many, as an American society, we need to recognize that the attitudes and behaviors that led to his murder have been deeply rooted in the institutionalized subjugation of Black people on American soil since we first arrived in 1619. For many of us, the “knee on the neck” may feel like a metaphor for how Blacks in America are held down, particularly at the hands of those whose duty it is to keep us safe. This has been the unfortunate legacy of American law enforcement in its relations with the Black community. It is time for us in law enforcement to own up to this legacy, take a deep, hard look at how we engage with Black communities, and collectively work to rebuild our institutions so that Black communities are served as equitably as any other community in America. We must do these things to ensure that Mr. Floyd’s death was not in vain.

“On a more personal note, as a Black man, I know all too well what if feels like to be accosted by law enforcement and to feel the sting of having been racially profiled by those whose duty it is to keep us safe. Growing up in South Los Angeles, and, always as a law-abiding person, I had countless encounters with members of law enforcement, none of which were positive. Over 40 years later, I can still remember every single incident where I was mistreated by a member of law enforcement. These events were traumatizing and the mental scars from these events will remain with me for the rest of my life. While I hope that other Black Americans never have to go through similar experiences, I also know the unfortunate reality that, by virtue of just being Black in America, the likelihood of similar encounters with the police are prevalent.

“As the chief of the USC Department of Public Safety, I want you to know that you have a right to feel safe and protected by those of us who took the oath to serve you. Moreover, I want you to know that if you ever feel, or have ever felt, discriminated against by a USC DPS officer, I want to personally know about it and help you get redress. Additionally, know that we are accountable to you, the community that we serve, and if you have any input or ideas as to how we can provide better service for communities, I want to listen to them.”

— Chief John Thomas

From the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences:

“The cruel and senseless death of George Floyd amplifies our collective responsibility to meet racism not with the force of brutality, but with decency and solidarity. I am encouraged by the diverse group of people who are coming together to grieve and protest — passionately and peacefully.

“As a USC Dornsife community, I promise you that we will continue to dedicate ourselves together to valuing different perspectives and achieving true diversity, equity, and inclusion. Because without this, we cannot, together, meet our full potential. We will continue to show the world that we truly live and act on our core values.”

— Dean Amber D. Miller

From USC Annenberg:

“As an academic community, the most important thing we can continue to do is to fill this moment with the strength of our collective voices, especially those of our students, and to bring our research, teaching and scholarship to face this ongoing crisis.

“We must not only condemn the killing of Black Americans and the continued violence against and harassment of people of color, we must use our voices to demand change and take actions to ensure that change begins — and does not stop — with us.”

— Dean Willow Bay

From the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology:

“The unrest we are currently witnessing is a symptom of the deeper issues we all need to work together to address, including how to dismantle systemic racism and create a culture of understanding, justice, and dignity for everyone.

My hope is that this time of upheaval will compel us to tackle the challenges and have the tough conversations that are needed to bring about comprehensive change.

Pinchas Cohen

“The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology community has a particularly strong understanding of just how interconnected we all are to one another. We know how critical it is for conversations and communities to span generations, disciplines, and socioeconomic divisions to make meaningful changes in policy, science and society. We also know how to address tough problems with sound science, innovation and inclusion in mind. My hope is that this time of upheaval will compel us to tackle the challenges and have the tough conversations that are needed to bring about comprehensive change. I firmly believe that our school, our university and the entire Trojan Family can and will come together and use our talents, courage and compassion to address these critical issues and create a more equal and just society.”

— Dean Pinchas Cohen 

From the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work:

“As social workers, we must work toward changing policies, fostering communication between groups and demonstrating the communication that we so desperately need. Racism and discrimination do not just affect some within our society, they affect all of us. We cannot allow ourselves to shake our heads, wring our hands and wait until the next injustice occurs.

“It is vital that our school’s faculty, students, staff and alumni work in concert with the communities in which we live and serve to examine and address the root cause of intolerance, incorporate this new understanding into our teaching and research and demonstrate the optimal respect, tolerance and equality to others that will save our souls. While this is an enormous charge, it is fundamental for all social workers to be leaders in this effort. If we do not do it, who will?

— Dean Sarah Gehlert

From the USC School of Dramatic Arts:

“We stand with our Black colleagues, students, alumni, families, and stakeholders at this time to unequivocally repudiate police brutality, racism in all its forms, and the ongoing and gathering threat of white supremacy, which seeks to destroy the basic notion of equality and justice for all. We stand with all people of color who face, in a current climate of almost intolerable partisanship, the realities of fear, stigmatization, and dismissal.

We commit to the opening of space, both personal and creative, in order to allow the voices of those who have been, and are, oppressed to take center stage.

David Bridel

“We urge our community to engage with both histories and futures, works that have been written and works yet to be formed, that address the intolerable but entrenched existence of racism in this nation’s soul.

“We commit to the opening of space, both personal and creative, in order to allow the voices of those who have been, and are, oppressed to take center stage.”

— Dean David Bridel

From the USC Gould School of Law:

“It is all too easy to despair during times as challenging as these, but we must not cede the field to most destructive elements of our nation. On the contrary, we must redouble our efforts to uphold and sustain our most fundamental commitments. This includes defending the laws of the nation, standing for the moral principles to which we remain committed, affirming the dignity and equality of all persons, and rejecting racism and bigotry in all its forms.

“The tragic events of recent days remind us all that we still have a long way to travel if we are to become the society we aspire to be. They also offer painful evidence of why it is imperative that we work to accelerate that journey.”

— Dean Andrew T. Guzman

From the USC Iovine and Young Academy:

“We, all of us, together and as individuals must choose to harness anger, sadness and disappointment into new ideas, and new paths to transformational change. And while doing so, remember that the most important choice we make every single day is the choice to see and care for each other as human beings, without bias or limitations, as we are.”

— Erica Muhl, dean; Jessica Vernon, associate dean for admission and student affairs; and Amber Bradley, assistant director, inclusion, diversity, equity and access

From the USC Kaufman School of Dance:

“Since its inception, USC Kaufman has strived to embrace individuality, inclusion and equity. We seek to create a kind, generous and welcoming culture. Goals like these are ongoing journeys and there is still important work to do. We pledge to increase our efforts, to invite honest conversations and to do our part to create meaningful change, in the short term and the long. The time is now; we must.

“We speak for all of USC Kaufman when we say we are standing with the Black and Brown community, holding space for you, sending love to you. You matter. You are loved. You are deeply cared about. You are part of us.”

— Dean Rob Cutietta and Vice Dean Jodie Gates

— Dean Jack H. Knott

From the USC Rossier School of Education:

“So much of the work of USC Rossier’s faculty and research centers is focused on identifying racism and providing solutions for educators, schools, and organizations.

I hope we can take heart in doing work that addresses the very issues that are again playing out in our nation — work that can and does improve equity across our country.

Karen Symms Gallagher

“We are so weary of the setbacks and new barriers we see occurring around our mission of social equity. But at this difficult, disappointing and maddening time, I hope we can take heart in doing work that addresses the very issues that are again playing out in our nation — work that can and does improve equity across our country.

“To repeat the words of James Baldwin: ‘The paradox of education is precisely this — that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.’ We have to address the ever-growing issues around hatred, bigotry and violence as we prepare and train the next generation of researchers, practitioners, and teachers.”

— Dean Karen Symms Gallagher

From the Bovard College:

“Today, we stand together with millions of people all over the world, as we call for an end to racism and inequality. It is clear that as a society, we have an immense and critical need for change. As we look ahead, our school’s core values can guide us, and our community can inform and inspire us. …

“We will continue our work, with open minds and open hearts, standing against injustice and firm in our commitment to a more inclusive and equal future. I truly believe that our diversity is our greatest strength.”

— Dean Anthony Bailey

From USC Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate Student Government: 

“We have seen our Black friends, neighbors, peers and community members fight for basic rights and the repeated failure of those in power to act in meaningful ways to prevent further pain. Racism has no place in our nation, nor on our campus. We, as a community, ?must do better so that Black lives are no longer disregarded and taken in senseless acts of hatred.”

— Truman Fritz, undergraduate student body president; Rose Ritch, undergraduate student body vice president; Melisa Osborne, graduate student body president; and Sam Garza, graduate student body vice president

From the USC Black Alumni Association:

“We need many to support our vision for the future that must be built collectively. This must be what we seek for our new normal — and we must lead the way forward in order for racism to be thoroughly examined. We have much to offer and much to do.”

— Executive Director Michèle G. Turner

From the USC Fisher Museum of Art:

“We stand in solidarity and mourning with Black Lives Matter and the communities around the nation who have experienced injustice and are peacefully protesting against state-sponsored racist abuses of power. As a museum on a university campus, we can and must work towards creating an environment of anti-racism for our current world and for future generations.”

— Selma Holo, USC director of museums and galleries

From USC Libraries:

“We understandably tend to focus on the intellectual and service aspects of libraries and librarianship. Now is the time to emphasize the moral imperatives of our profession. Libraries are not free of systemic, historical bias or its consequences, and no matter our intentions, biases influence how we provide services, build collections, and organize our institutions.

“If we are to contribute to and help make possible substantive change, we will engage in thoughtful critique of libraries, our practices, and the history of our profession.”

— Catherine Quinlan, dean of the USC Libraries; Nancy Olmos, head, metadata and content management; Louise Smith, digital library project manager; Chiméne E. Tucker, communication and journalism, gender and LGBTQ studies librarian

From USC Student Health:

“We have been able to support each other because we share an intrinsic belief that our differences make us a stronger community, that our individual experiences inform and enrich the ways in which we practice care, professionally and in our personal lives. Our diverse views, backgrounds, and identities continue to be the way forward to heal our communities, and our selves.”

— Sarah Van Orman, chief health officer, USC Student Health