[UA] MLK Day

[Danielle A Geathers]

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Hello Undergrads,

As we [https://mcusercontent.com/0cb9f68f0bc51d0385e5d8872/images/215bf22c-52db-43c7-9b4b-b9f8fd2ca24a.jpeg] approach the end of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I hope you take the time to reflect on your role in eliminating systemic racism and fighting for justice.

When MLK was assassinated at 39 by a white segregationist, his public disapproval rating was nearly 75 percent and he was one of the FBI's top targets. Two decades later, President Reagan signed MLK Day into law after Dr. King's perception became more favorable.

Oftentimes, fighting for justice is unpopular, yet we must choose what is right over complacency. Although our MIT experiences may seem distant from King's work, he earned his PhD a few blocks away at Boston University and took classes at Harvard. Additionally, the racial segregation and unequal treatment King fought against was prevalent in Cambridge.


[https://mcusercontent.com/0cb9f68f0bc51d0385e5d8872/images/667dc2dd-b232-438e-900e-eae77c0cddcf.png]

This Housing Owners' Loan Corporation map<https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=12/42.362/-71.187&city=cambridge-ma> created in the 1940's depicts the classification of residential areas surrounding MIT. The red areas were classified as ineligible for federal benefits because of their "negro" populations. This system worked to perpetuate economic and residential segregation.


As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King, I implore you to educate yourself on the history of racial injustice in this country and find your role in the movement.

One opportunity to get involved is through MIT policy change with the Strategic Action Plan<https://deiactionplan.mit.edu/> for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

[https://mcusercontent.com/0cb9f68f0bc51d0385e5d8872/images/212c7125-e3a0-4d28-acc6-cadf9961a0fd.png]<https://deiactionplan.mit.edu/>
Give feedback on the strategic plan on the DEI at MIT website<https://deiactionplan.mit.edu/>.




Additionally, I encourage you to incorporate racially conscious classes into your Spring curriculum. You can find a comprehensive list from the Asian American Initiative here<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SVUrAvOfhiCGY648SQhnpREAQDxcAL04xaG99_4BcSg/edit>.


[https://mcusercontent.com/0cb9f68f0bc51d0385e5d8872/images/2638d97e-7068-453a-96f1-596a6812109a.jpeg]<https://www.instagram.com/p/CJogQ3TnFGW/>



There are many events this semester which will provide the opportunity to engage in important dialogue.

[https://mcusercontent.com/0cb9f68f0bc51d0385e5d8872/images/a5e4d611-0610-4daa-b2e7-bcca557e503d.png]

The MIT Black Graduate Student Association and the Institute Community Equity Office are proud to announce a live discussion and Q&A on campus policing and the "defund the police" movement with community organizers from Chicago, New York and Boston. The event will take place on Feb 4th, 2021 from 1 to 2:30pm ET. Attendees of this event will walk away with a deeper understanding of the "Defund the police" movement and the information to form their own opinions about how public safety should look on a college campus.

Webinar link: http://web.mit.edu/webcast/bgsa/s21/





Best,
Danielle Geathers
She/her/hers
President of the Undergraduate Association





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