CAPS stand in solidarity with all individuals and communities who have been directly or indirectly impacted by the numerous tragedies and lives lost this year by senseless, unthinkable acts of hate and violence. We continue, as a community to mourn the loss and irrational deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile whose lives were tragically taken on July 5th and July 6th . We also mourn the loss of the five police officers that were killed, and express empathy towards several others who were injured on July 7, 2016 in Dallas, Texas.
We understand that the reoccurrence of noted events in various settings continue to evoke emotions, questions, and may spark debates between individuals. We also recognize that some may experience desensitization because of how often these acts of violence continue to occur. Furthermore, the controversy regarding how the events are being represented in the media may also exacerbate some of these issues and stressful reactions.
During this time of stress and upset, we encourage you to reach out to each other and actively engage in self-care activities. This may include limiting how much television you watch and/or social media you may read that may be triggering and/or contribute to feelings of hopelessness, sadness, or anger and leave you feeling overwhelmed. Please take care of yourselves and each other.
Remember that we, the staff at CAPS, continue to strive for inclusion and acknowledge the multicultural struggles that may impact students, faculty, and staff. While we support the Black Lives Matter movement and are against police violence, we do support the lawful practices of police or members of the police force. As the significance and scope of this tragedy continue to unfold, please know that support is available. If you are on campus, you can reach out to CAPS (734-764-8312) by scheduling an appointment, utilizing our counselor-on-duty service, or calling CAPS After Hours. If you are away from Ann Arbor you can also use the CAPS After Hours line.