Statement on Recent Violence in New York and California

The University of Hartford is horrified and saddened by the heinous acts of racist violence this past weekend targeting innocent people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and in a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods, California. We condemn in the strongest terms racism in all of its forms, as well as discrimination based on race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, and religion.

As a community, we grieve the lives lost, for all those who lost loved ones, and for the communities impacted by these tragic acts of terrorism. The recent events are two in a long list of senseless acts of violence rooted in extremism and hatred, ​which specifically emphasize the need to address all forms of anti-Blackness, ​anti-Asian, white nationalism, and antisemitism intentionally and collectively. It is an outrage that racism, compounded by deadly weapons, continues to take the lives of innocent and historically excluded people in our country.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement, inclusive of other offices across campus, will work collaboratively to formulate actionable plans and strategies to promote anti-racism and combat white nationalism and antisemitism. Institutionally, we are committed to fostering a campus culture free from physical, emotional, and psychological violence. As a community, we must further educate ourselves and seek ways to disrupt and dismantle systems of oppression wherever we encounter them.

Let us continue to work together to develop empathy and show respect for people of all identities, while creating a society where everyone is valued and included.