GSA Statement on Anti-Black Racism, Police Brutality, and State Violence

The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) at Carleton University is mournful to be in a position, once again, of having to write a statement denouncing continued police violence against Black lives. Justice, “the first virtue of social institutions,” is constantly violated for Black families and community Graduate Students’ members across Turtle Island. As a student union that believes in justice and   that , we stand in solidarity with our Black, #! " " Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous community members. We unequivocally %' #"# refuse to be complacent in the prevailing status quo which denies that racism '("'& exists in so-called canada; therefore, we denounce the continued police " "'% brutality across Turtle Island, and we support calls for Defunding the Police. %!'#"" )%& '+ We commit even more to fight anti-Black racism and to fight racism in all its  #!#"!+% ) forms including in educational institutions, and at the GSA. "! #"$( " %% '#%+   As a student organization, we recognize that educational institutions uphold !     * white supremacy and coloniality, and their anti-racism work needs to move      forward from theory to practise. It is not simply enough to speak of anti- & &%!'#" &%!'#" racism work; actions are at the heart of anti-racist ideology. As a student uunion executive, we will make every attempt to unmask the anti-Blackness wwithin our educational institution and within our own organization. Not only wwill we create spaces to uplift and support Black students in all our eendeavours, but we will actively challenge the university to do better in terms oof its anti-racism work. This comes with the humble recognition that anti- BBlackness exists in communities that we are part of, and dismantling white 2UJDQL]DWLRQRI3DUW supremacy is long-term work that we as an organization are committed to. 7LPH8QLYHUVLW\ 6WXGHQWV The recent but not new targeted acts of police brutality against Black lives RFDO" " and communities leave a striking reminder that systemic and targeted anti- %' #"#'("'& Black racism serve as a tool of the state to disrupt the civil liberties achieved through tremendous adversity. The most marginalized communities, who &$:6WXGHQW &HQWUH deal with the police the most, have already lost faith in the ability of the police as an institution to keep communities safe. As such, the GSA believes that a 8QLYHUVLW\RI:LQGVRU call for defunding the police is not only timely but a solution rooted in justice 6XQVHW$YH that can redirect funds into community resources, develop an alternative method of community safety programs rooted in community care and 7UDGLWLRQDO7HUULWRU\RI support, and shift our focus into healing and care for our communities. As WKH7KUHH)LUHV Black Lives Matter founder, Sandy Hudson explains, “Defunding the &RQIHGHUDF\ police can free up funding that we can reinvest in services that provide real 1%3 safety.”

It is evident that policing, as an institution, continues to fail Black people and communities, and that it is not the right institution to handle issues that should be handled by those who are equipped to deal with marginalized communities and diverse, intersecting identities and those in crisis. The recent brutal murders of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, , Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade painfully reminds us that our

1 society is founded on systems and institutions designed to oppress and harm Black communities, sustain racism and white supremacy.

As part of our engagement in community care, the GSA is offering mental health support sessions for Black students and community members who have been impacted by systematic and targeted anti-Black racism. Closed community care sessions (Black folks only) will be occurring on June 15th, 22nd, and 29th from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, facilitated by Jamila Ahmed. Additionally, open community care sessions will be taking place on June 16th, 23rd, and 30th, from 12:00- 1:30 pm. Details can be found on our facebook page at facebook.com/carletongsa as well as on our Instagram at @gsacarleton. Our engagement in mental health and community care work does not simply stop there, as we will be revisiting how to best facilitate and advocate for mental health supports for graduate students in the upcoming months.

The GSA is also donating to Jaku Konbit and the Black Legal Action Centre. We also encourage those who can donate to local Black action community groups to do so in order to advance the work of anti-racism both on and off campus. Feel free to donate to the bailout, legal defence, and memorial funds. For a full list of resources, see https://cutt.ly/CyZloPh.

In solidarity,

Namrata Tilokani, President

Harar Hall, VP External

Chi-ChiChi-Chi AyaloguAyalogu,, VP Operations

Victoriaictoria Asi, VP AAcademicc

Hemantemant GuptaGupta, VP Finance

2 Further Reading and Resources

Defunding Police will save Black and Indigenous Lives by Sandy Hudson https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/defund-police-canada-black- indigenous-lives_ca_5ed65eb2c5b6ccd7c56bdf7d https://blacklivesmatter.ca/

Me and White Supremacy, by Layla F. Saad

The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale

Our History is the Future by Nick Estes

Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard

Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

When Feminism is White Supremacy in Heels by https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a22717725/what-is-toxic- white-feminism/

75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for- racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

So You Want to Talk About Race by

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo

The Skin We’re in by Desmond Cole

Futures of Black Radicalism by Gaye Theresa Johnson & Alex Lubin

Communities of Resistance: Writings on Black Struggles for Socialism by A. Sivanandan

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