The Center for Diversity and Inclusion is inviting Washington University in St. Louis students, staff and faculty to come together at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 5, for “Ring Their Names,” a virtual vigil honoring the lives of George Floyd and other black men, women and trans people who recently have been killed.
Speaker Adrienne Davis, vice provost and the William M. Van Cleve Professor of Law, will be joined by Chancellor Andrew D. Martin, students and university leaders for the 30-minute vigil. Participants may access the Zoom service here.
“Ring Their Names” refers to the plea from Terrence Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, to “Keep my brother’s name ringing.” Floyd was killed on Memorial Day when a Minneapolis police officer pinned his neck to the ground for more than 8 minutes.
“It’s important that we don’t let his memory die, nor the memory of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Nina Pop and too many others,” said Mark Kamimura-Jiménez, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). “This is our community’s first opportunity to come together and reflect, but it won’t be our last. Our students want to take action, to invest their resources, power and influence to make a difference at Washington University and in their home communities.”
Across schools and departments, faculty and staff are developing programs, seminars and workshops that examine systematic racism. Scheduled CDI events include a gathering space for action on Friday, June 12, and a monthly “Racism Pandemic” town hall series. Learn more details about these and other programs on the CDI website.
The Academy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion also has several “In St. Louis” programs scheduled for the summer, including “In St. Louis: Ferguson Commission,” which reviews the ongoing work of the Ferguson Commission, and “In St. Louis: Story of Change,” which introduces participants to the regional leaders, activists, lawyers, nonprofit leaders and elected officials pushing for policy change. Learn more about these and other programs on the academy’s website.
The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Diversity also will be announcing summer seminars on race. Check the Happenings website for updates.
