[bioundgrd] The same terrible story, this time in Laguna Woods and Buffalo

Tue May 17 09:39:23 EDT 2022

Dear Biology Department members,

In the wake of the horrific violence in Buffalo, NY and Laguna Woods, CA, our communities are feeling overwhelming sorrow and exhaustion because yet again, someone murdered unarmed strangers simply because of their identity. I and the department stand in solidarity and grief with the families and victims of the violence and all those affected by it. Racism and white supremacy do not have a home here. There is support in the department and at the institute to help work through these horrific events and the others that continue to occur.

Our Department Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Hallie Dowling-Huppert, is available for conversation, support, and discussion to help work through this tragedy.  She can be reached at halliedh at mit.edu<mailto:halliedh at mit.edu> or 617-715-2448.  You may also drop by her office at 68-323A anytime Tuesday through Thursday.

The MIT community will come together today (Tuesday) at 5 pm for a Vigil<https://calendar.mit.edu/event/mit_united_against_hate#.YoKXhfPMK3J> to care for and comfort each other in the face of this hate and violence. Hallie will be walking over from the lobby of Building 68 at 4:45 pm. Please feel free to walk with her.

Below, you will find additional campus resources in the email from President Reif. Additionally, please do not hesitate to reach out to Hallie or me should you need support.

With sympathy,
Alan

Alan D. Grossman
Professor and Head
Department of Biology
Building 68-530
M.I.T.
Cambridge, MA   02139

adg at mit.edu<mailto:adg at mit.edu>
(617) 253-1515
Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/my/alandgrossman

Please note: There is no need to respond to my emails outside of traditional work hours.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "L. Rafael Reif" <office-of-the-president at mit.edu<mailto:office-of-the-president at mit.edu>>
Subject: The same terrible story, this time in Buffalo
Date: May 15, 2022 at 8:45:05 PM EDT
To: adg at mit.edu<mailto:adg at mit.edu>

View online version<http://inj9.mjt.lu/nl2/inj9/mj8mm.html?m=AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc&b=5c0c6890&e=d15ca4cf&x=43MlqzXKMKc4m62thPnv8A>

[MIT President L. Rafael Reif letterhead]

To the members of the MIT community,

On a day of unspeakable suffering for the people of Buffalo, New York, I write simply to express what I expect many of us are feeling: the overwhelming sorrow and exhaustion that, again, in our own nation, someone set out, with a twisted, righteous hatred, to murder a group of innocent unarmed strangers targeted simply for the fact of their identity. At a grocery store in Buffalo. At a synagogue in Pittsburgh. At a church in Charleston. At a mosque in California. At a nail salon in Atlanta. At a nightclub in Orlando. And so many more – so many that we have all lost count. As I write, I have just learned of another mass shooting today, at a church in Laguna Woods, California.

In a world full of so much that we cannot control, let us focus on what we can: caring for and comforting each other in a time of grief and pain.

So that members of our community can come together in mutual support, the MIT chaplains, the Institute Community and Equity Office and other campus partners are planning a vigil on campus Tuesday evening. You will hear more once the details are set.

And as always you can access the full suite of our campus support services for students<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/1/XF4oaPSg-fYCFBkrCt49hg/aHR0cHM6Ly9kb2luZ3dlbGwubWl0LmVkdS9zdXBwb3J0LTMv>and for employees<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/2/0ZwloQaxY8NigLDT5fjwIQ/aHR0cHM6Ly9oci5taXQuZWR1L3dvcmtsaWZlL21lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGg>.

With deepest sympathy,

L. Rafael Reif

Key Campus Resources

  *   Student Mental Health and Counseling Services<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/3/V8FzT_mnm4lQkmzVnrEwFA/aHR0cHM6Ly9tZWRpY2FsLm1pdC5lZHUvc2VydmljZXMvbWVudGFsLWhlYWx0aC1jb3Vuc2VsaW5n>: Working with students to identify, understand and solve problems, and to help transform that understanding into positive action.
  *   Student Support Services<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/4/0DmGpF4B3PMBHNrLL2xz5Q/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdHVkZW50bGlmZS5taXQuZWR1L3Mz>: An easily accessible hub of support for undergraduates.
  *   GradSupport<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/5/SFbNNVAvKCjwOwDVPCjgwQ/aHR0cHM6Ly9vZ2UubWl0LmVkdS9kZXZlbG9wbWVudC9ncmFkc3VwcG9ydC8> and the Graduate Assistance Information Network<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/6/MSErSwi_ekex1G-KcYPSIA/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWl0Z2Fpbi5jb20v> offer a wide variety of resources to help grad students and families deal with the unexpected.
  *   MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/7/BWLQZq4gmRRLtGiy9gdoUA/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdHVkZW50bGlmZS5taXQuZWR1L29yc2VsL3doby13ZS1hcmU>: Chaplains are available to offer support and counsel to anyone in the MIT community.
  *   Dean on Call<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/8/1fAkVTrgJ1nhnO8bwGaY4A/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdHVkZW50bGlmZS5taXQuZWR1L2RlYW4tY2FsbC1zeXN0ZW0>: Students living on campus can dial 100 from campus phones or 617-253-1212 to reach MIT Police, then ask to speak to the dean on call. The dean on call is available Monday through Friday, 5 p.m.–9 a.m., and on Saturdays, Sundays and MIT-observed holidays.
  *   Free, confidential, 24/7 assistance is available for faculty, staff and postdocs from MyLife Services<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AU4AAFmWVOIAAcrs3QIAAAA86r0AAAAAGqoAJbLPAAiQzwBigZ6RVZxSYDfnTla-Ge6QS-Wj4gAIIWc/9/95C6qsaKRTTppUufb_WjxQ/aHR0cHM6Ly9oci5taXQuZWR1L3dvcmtsaWZlL215bGlmZXNlcnZpY2Vz>.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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