Letter to the MIT faculty: A moment of moral urgency

The following letter was sent to MIT faculty members today by Institute Community and Equity Officer John Dozier and Associate Provost Tim Jamison. Dear colleagues, We are writing at this moment of moral urgency in our country and in our community. Wednesday, June 10, saw many of us - many of you - participating actively in numerous events connected to #ShutdownAcademia, #ShutdownSTEM, and #Strike4BlackLives , and we thank you. We would also like to offer some initial reflections on how we hope to take concrete actions and catalyze lasting change. As faculty, you will play a critical role in this work. Providing Support and Education As last week's poignant MIT Community Vigil laid bare, members of the MIT community - specifically our Black students and colleagues - are in excruciating pain following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and so many Black and Brown people killed by police and private citizens. The pain is all the more searing because it is rooted in systemic racism and injustice in this country that dates back centuries.