Statement from the Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development

Dear community members,

Our hearts are heavy with sadness and anger for the murders of and injustices toward our Black community members all across the nation: George Floyd in Minneapolis, Tony McDade in Tallahassee, Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and many many more. 

These are not one-off incidents. These are incidents fueled by systemic racism, institutional oppression, structural violence, and white supremacy. Many people are experiencing complex emotions such as anger, fear, guilt, grief, and exhaustion and we want to acknowledge that. Many people are juggling between fighting against injustice and finding the space to heal, personally and in community. 

There are many ways to confront racism and anti-Blackness in our field, and our Commission will strengthen our commitment to ACPA’s Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization to create educational programs and initiatives that confront social injustice for our global community. As individuals, here is where you can start https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co 

Black Lives Matter. Today and every day. 

In Solidarity,

Yuezhong Zheng, Commission Chair
Yuan Zhou, Commission Chair-Elect 

The Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development
ACPA - College Student Educators International