Dear colleagues, students, and friends,
I have now been dean for 8 months, and I am writing my second letter to express a profound sense of loss, anger, and frustration about senseless death in our community. On Friday, a jury found a Pittsburgh police officer not guilty in the shooting death of Antwon Rose, a 17 year old unarmed black youth who was running away from police when he was killed. Last October, Pittsburgh was shocked and shaken by the anti-Semitic attack on Tree of Life synagogue. This weekend, we were rocked, again, by the sense of loss, fear, and anger. This time, though, we didn't dominate national headlines, because Antwon's death and the not guilty verdict are not unique. Instead, they are a frightfully common event in our nation -- a black man (actually still an adolescent) shot in the back while fleeing from police. All weekend, I tried to write this note, but couldn't. Words seemed too trivial, optimism seemed insincere, comfort seemed distant. Thankfully, Monday dawned and the world showed that all is not lost. Indeed, I am encouraged about the future! This change of perspective came from the efforts of our students, their passion, commitment, and the desperate insistence that this cannot be normalized, cannot be accepted, and must be fought with every breath we have. Over the weekend, our Student Executive Council worked tirelessly to develop a plan of action -- they refused to sit still and let Antwon's death or the not guilty verdict be ignored. Instead, they worked together to develop a plan, confront challenges and stumbling points, and plan a walk-out and rally to give voice and hope where there was silence and despair. Their collective efforts, their powerful and heartfelt speeches, and their poignant reading of Antwon's poem "I am not what you think" brought this all into perspective. This generation of students is picking up the fight! They have been paying attention to the world around them and are not ready to accept the fear, racism, and divisions that seem to swirl around us. They are true believers in the social work values of human dignity, social justice, inclusion, and community. They deserve our best -- as teachers, as leaders, as role models, as colleagues! Today, we mourn the death of a 17 year old who should not have had to die. And we grieve for a society and system of justice that is built on centuries of inequality, racism, discrimination, and pain. But, today I also recognize the power of our profession, of our younger generation, of ourselves. We must fight on! We must do everything we can to create the world we want to live in! It feels appropriate to let Antwon Rose have the last word today -- to make us wake up and to drive us to do better: "I wonder what path I will take I hear that there's only two ways out I see mothers bury their sons I want my mom to never feel that pain I am confused and afraid. I understand people believe I'm just a statistic I say to them I'm different I dream of life getting easier I try my best to make my dream come true I hope that it does."
In solidarity and determination,
Betsy