On March 18, 2018, an unarmed young Black man, Stephon Clark, was a victim of a police shooting in Sacramento. Our hearts ache for the Clark family, the Sacramento community, and the many victims of violence. This tragedy is not just a local matter, nor is it an isolated incident in our state or our country. This is a matter of national consciousness and our struggle to combat oppressive systems that are deeply rooted in racism. We demand justice! Say his name: Stephon Clark!
On March 27, 2018, the Louisiana Attorney General announced that no charges will be filed against two Baton Rouge police officers in the 2016 shooting death of Alton Sterling after an investigation determined that the shooting was justified. This too is another example of deeply rooted racism in our country that disproportionately impacts the African American community. We must speak up and demand justice.
The Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP), the Ethnic Resource Centers, the Lionel Cantú Resource Center and the Women’s Center are direct descendants and products of the Civil Rights Movement. Our missions are grounded in social movements to disrupt racism, sexsim, homophobia and oppresive systems to increase opportunities for communities historically excluded from higher education. It is our duty to speak out; and we urge ourselves and our community to build equity in our society through peaceful means. We remain committed to our history, to speaking out and demanding justice! We are here to support all students as they process these most recent incidents and we are committed to providing support and connecting students with resources to grow and demand justice!
This statement is issued on behalf of UCSC Educational Opportunity Programs, African American Cultural and Resource Center, American Indian Resource Center, Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center, El Centro Chicanx/Latinx Resource Center, Lionel Cantú Resource Center, and the Women’s Center.
