A Message to Our Community
The Department of Art mourns the killing of George Floyd and we extend our deepest sympathies to the Floyd family and friends, loved ones, and the greater community.
We must reckon with the fact that our society has failed to address the deep damage caused by systemic racism and inequity that have persisted from the inception of this country. We support University of Minnesota President Gabel’s immediate action to cease contracting with the Minneapolis Police Department as a first step, and need to create alternative ways to ensure safe spaces on campus for all.
As a creative community, we have the opportunity to foster ideas and perspectives that inspire us to build a more just and equitable world. We commit to listen, to learn, to speak up, and acknowledge the history of this place, and to dedicate ourselves to a long term, sustained effort to dismantle structural racism, white supremacy, and colonization. Together, faculty, staff, and students will collectively develop a plan and concrete steps to transform our culture in the Department of Art and at our institution.
Art has the ability to heal and effectively engage in the power of the imagination to create change. We will lean on these strengths to uplift and support each other and the broader community.
Community Resources:
