Dear Cardinal community,
Student Senate, in partnership with Black Students and Allies, would like to extend our condolences to the family of George Floyd in light of the injustice that occurred Monday, May 25, in Minneapolis.
While we all process Floyd’s tragic death and the resulting shock waves, Student Senate would like to reaffirm our support to our black students, faculty, and staff. Saint Mary’s does not tolerate any form of hate or discrimination, and we do not intend to remain silent in light of this tragedy. We commit ourselves to upholding sincere regard and respect for every Saint Mary’s community member, and we implore our students to offer the same support.
Although we are not currently on campus together, Student Senate encourages our students to stand together for justice, equality, and dignity for all. As a community, we must acknowledge the black lives that have been lost to police brutality, violence, and racism and individuals in black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities who have been negatively impacted by those who have taken advantage of the Black Lives Matter movement.
During this difficult time, we encourage our community to join Student Senate by engaging in dialogue regarding this difficult topic, signing petitions, contacting your congressional, state, and local representatives, or joining social media campaigns. Furthermore, if you are able and interested, here are some local Minnesota resources to which you can consider donating:
George Floyd Memorial Fund
Minnesota Freedom Fund
Rebuild Lake Street
Black Visions Collective
Support The Cities
We encourage anyone who is feeling unsettled by this latest injustice to reach out to their Student Senate representatives at senate@smumn.edu. If you have experienced or witnessed any form of discrimination at Saint Mary’s, please fill out a bias report. You can find more information regarding our bias reporting process. Please stand with Student Senate as we strive to make the Saint Mary’s community a welcoming and supportive environment every Cardinal can call home.
Rest in peace, George Floyd.
In solidarity,
Kendall Archer, Student Senate President
Destiny Walker, Student Senate Vice President of Multicultural Affairs
Enitan Onayiga, Black Student and Allies President