Standing in solidarity and peace with the Arbery family

The following message was sent to all students, faculty and staff via email on Nov. 26.

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Dear Campus Community,

On Wednesday, Nov. 24, a jury in Georgia convicted Greg McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Bryan in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. We are relieved and grateful that the justice system has held these men accountable for their acts. We hope that the sentencing proceedings and federal trials that follow do the same.

The justice system often fails to deliver equitable justice for the violation of rights and the violence perpetrated on Black and Brown communities. While no verdict will bring Mr. Arbery back to his family, it is important to recognize that the justice system did not excuse the white supremacist mindset that governed the acts committed in this case.

We look to the hopeful words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice,” and hope that this begins a season of healing and peace for the Arbery family and their larger community.

 

Tanhena Pacheco Dunn
Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion
Chief Diversity Officer

Donald P. Christian
President