With the recent events, protests, and racial tensions, taking place at the University of Missouri, CAPS would like to acknowledge ways in which this also impacts our campus community in its entirety at the University of Michigan. Events like these can trigger a variety of emotional reactions such as anger, helplessness, fear, sadness, and anxiety, during an already stressful time of year for many students. We understand that events of this nature, which have a long-standing history, continue to evoke emotions, questions, and may spark debates between individuals.
As we take a collective look at the situation in Missouri, some of us are also seeing our friends, our families, our loved ones, our communities and ourselves.
We at CAPS continue to promote inclusion and, at the same time, acknowledge the multicultural struggles that may impact students, faculty, and staff. CAPS will continue to stand against all forms of oppression and any prolonged unjust treatment of others.
If support is needed from CAPS, please let us know by scheduling an appointment, utilizing our counselor-on-duty service, or attending one of our drop in lunch series:Nourish, for self-identified women of color, or My Brothers, for self-identified men of color, which provide a safe space for discussions on identity, empowerment, intercultural competency, and more.
If individual support is needed, please find out more about the CAPS staff HERE.
We would also like to extend our support and give attention to a number of student led activities that have happened on campus in response to the situation in Missouri:
- 11/12 student call for a blackout--dress in all black clothing
- 11/12 midnight prayer on the Diag
- Please consider supporting the activism event on 11/21 10:30am to 4:00pm, hosted by SCOR (Students of color at Rackham)
In addition, we encourage engaging in ways that may improve your well being even during this painful time including connecting with others, participating in self-care activities that may enhance emotional and mental well-being, utilizing your values and belief systems that may provide purpose and assist in coping, and/or attending events such as vigils to demonstrate some form of social action.
These events, and others like these, allow us to be "in community" even in our outrage, anger, and disappointment. Being in community is healing and gives us focus.
Article published in November 2015
