Invitation to Open Meeting on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Friday, October 2, 2020
Dear Students,
We’re writing to let you know about the Open Meeting on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that is happening on Thursday, October 8 from 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom. This Open Meeting is being co-hosted by the SGA and the College administration, and will feature non-SGA student moderators and relevant panelists from the administration and staff. The event will be recorded and posted for those unable to attend.
The Open Meeting on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will focus on key Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion/Anti-Racism efforts being taken by the College, including the 5-Year Action Plan for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion created by the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and the $500,000 donation made to the College (particularly how the administration plans to ensure that BIPOC students, faculty, staff, & community members have a say in how that money is spent). Apart from these specific College initiatives, the event will be an opportunity for general discussion about how we can improve campus climate & culture using an intentionally anti-racist framework and working extensively with BIPOC communities to reduce harm on our campus. Panelists will include Laurie Patton (President), Miguel Fernández (Chief Diversity Officer), Christal Brown (Director of Taskforce on Anti-Racism), and other key DEI stakeholders on campus.
Itinerary:
Submit your questions at go/DEIquestions/ by Tuesday, October 6 at 12:00 PM EST. You may choose to submit questions anonymously.
Moderators:
Panelists:
The Zoom webinar for the event can be found at go/DEIopenmeeting/ and the link will go live the day of. We hope that this event can serve as a platform for you to bring your questions and concerns for panelists regarding the current state of anti-racism, as well as the future of anti-racism, at Middlebury. We hope to see you there.
Best,
Madison Holland ’21 & Francoise Niyigena ’21
SGA Directors of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Sophia Lundberg ’21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
John Schurer ’21
SGA President
We’re writing to let you know about the Open Meeting on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that is happening on Thursday, October 8 from 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom. This Open Meeting is being co-hosted by the SGA and the College administration, and will feature non-SGA student moderators and relevant panelists from the administration and staff. The event will be recorded and posted for those unable to attend.
The Open Meeting on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will focus on key Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion/Anti-Racism efforts being taken by the College, including the 5-Year Action Plan for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion created by the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and the $500,000 donation made to the College (particularly how the administration plans to ensure that BIPOC students, faculty, staff, & community members have a say in how that money is spent). Apart from these specific College initiatives, the event will be an opportunity for general discussion about how we can improve campus climate & culture using an intentionally anti-racist framework and working extensively with BIPOC communities to reduce harm on our campus. Panelists will include Laurie Patton (President), Miguel Fernández (Chief Diversity Officer), Christal Brown (Director of Taskforce on Anti-Racism), and other key DEI stakeholders on campus.
Itinerary:
- 7:00-7:30 PM EST: Brief Introductory Remarks and Mini-Presentations
- Introductory Remarks from President Patton
- Presentation of DEI Plan from Miguel Fernández
- Presentation of Taskforce on Anti-Racism from Christal Brown
- Introductory Remarks from President Patton
- 7:30-8:15 PM EST: Pre-Submitted Q&A
- Panelists will answer pre-selected questions collected and curated by student moderators and the SGA via the submission form linked below.
- Panelists will answer pre-selected questions collected and curated by student moderators and the SGA via the submission form linked below.
- 8:15-8:30 PM EST: Live Follow-Up Q&A
- Panelists will answer live follow-up questions to any of the information shared during the event using the chat and up-vote features.
- Panelists will answer live follow-up questions to any of the information shared during the event using the chat and up-vote features.
Submit your questions at go/DEIquestions/ by Tuesday, October 6 at 12:00 PM EST. You may choose to submit questions anonymously.
Moderators:
- Kaila Thomas ‘21, Student Organizer
- Rodney Adams ‘21, SGA Senior Senator
- Masud Tyree Lewis ‘22, Co-President/Managing Director of International Students’ Organization
- Abdul Hack Anas Abubakari ‘23, President of UMOJA & Co-President of Muslim Student Association
- Francoise Niyigena ‘21, SGA Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
- Madison Holland ‘21, SGA Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Panelists:
- Laurie Patton, President
- Miguel Fernández, Chief Diversity Officer
- Christal Brown, Director of Taskforce on Anti-Racism
- Janae Due, Assistant Director of Student Affairs for the Anderson Freeman Resource Center
- Roberto Lint-Sagarena, Director of Intercultural Programs for the Anderson Freeman Resource Center
- Renee Wells, Director of Education for Equity & Inclusion
- Nicole Curvin, Dean of Admissions
- Daniel Silva, Director of Black Studies Program
- Marti McCaleb, Civil Rights & Title IX Coordinator
- Barbara McCall, Director of Health & Wellness Education
- Emily Wagner, Assistant Director of Health & Wellness Education
- Mark Orten, Director of Scott Center, Dean of Spiritual & Religious Life, & Chaplain of the College
- Will Nash, Representative from the Faculty Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Zoom webinar for the event can be found at go/DEIopenmeeting/ and the link will go live the day of. We hope that this event can serve as a platform for you to bring your questions and concerns for panelists regarding the current state of anti-racism, as well as the future of anti-racism, at Middlebury. We hope to see you there.
Best,
Madison Holland ’21 & Francoise Niyigena ’21
SGA Directors of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Sophia Lundberg ’21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
John Schurer ’21
SGA President
F2020-SR1: Request for a Speedy Investigation and Resolution for Violation of Middlebury Policy Regarding Racial Discrimination and COVID-19
Monday, September 28, 2020
Dear Students,
At yesterday's SGA General Assembly meeting, the Student Senate unanimously passed this resolution in response to the racist incident that occurred on the night of Friday, September 25. The resolution, which you can find below, was sent to the College President and the Senior Leadership Group (SLG) this morning.
F2020-SR1: Request for a Speedy Investigation and Resolution for Violation of Middlebury Policy Regarding Racial Discrimination and COVID-19
Rodney Adams '21
SGA Senior Senator
Teddy Best '22
SGA Junior Senator
At yesterday's SGA General Assembly meeting, the Student Senate unanimously passed this resolution in response to the racist incident that occurred on the night of Friday, September 25. The resolution, which you can find below, was sent to the College President and the Senior Leadership Group (SLG) this morning.
F2020-SR1: Request for a Speedy Investigation and Resolution for Violation of Middlebury Policy Regarding Racial Discrimination and COVID-19
Rodney Adams '21
SGA Senior Senator
Teddy Best '22
SGA Junior Senator
Recording and Transcript of Student Town Hall
Thursday, July 2, 2020
Dear Students,
To watch the recording from Monday’s Student Town Hall on Fall 2020, follow this link: https://vimeo.com/434531947. We have also linked the transcript. Both of these will be posted on our SGA website and on the Middlebury Community Announcements page.
All pre-submitted questions collected via the SGA submission form and questions sent during the event in the Zoom Q&A and chat features have been sorted and sent to the Dean of Students Derek Doucet and other panelists. Derek and his colleagues are using these questions to update the FAQs on the Middlebury College website to further address students’ concerns about the Fall 2020 semester.
We encourage you to use the Student Town Hall, the FAQ page, the Community Announcements page, and other such resources to make the most informed decision that you can about Fall 2020.
As the SGA, we are interested in your feedback on the Student Town Hall, so please let us know your thoughts at go/HeySGA/.
Take care,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
To watch the recording from Monday’s Student Town Hall on Fall 2020, follow this link: https://vimeo.com/434531947. We have also linked the transcript. Both of these will be posted on our SGA website and on the Middlebury Community Announcements page.
All pre-submitted questions collected via the SGA submission form and questions sent during the event in the Zoom Q&A and chat features have been sorted and sent to the Dean of Students Derek Doucet and other panelists. Derek and his colleagues are using these questions to update the FAQs on the Middlebury College website to further address students’ concerns about the Fall 2020 semester.
We encourage you to use the Student Town Hall, the FAQ page, the Community Announcements page, and other such resources to make the most informed decision that you can about Fall 2020.
As the SGA, we are interested in your feedback on the Student Town Hall, so please let us know your thoughts at go/HeySGA/.
Take care,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Putting Tonight’s Student Town Hall in Context
Monday, June 29, 2020
Dear Students,
We want to remind you about tonight’s Student Town Hall and to put this event in the context of the recent deletion of Dr. Marissel Hernández-Romero’s email. The Student Town Hall is today, June 29 from 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom. The link to join is go.middlebury.edu/StudentTownHall/ and will be active at 6:55 PM EST. The full Zoom invitation is at the bottom of this email.
Itinerary
Last week, the SGA sent out a Google Form for students to pre-submit questions about Fall 2020, which have since been collected and consolidated. There will be a live Q&A at the end of the event for students to ask additional questions. Although the Student Town Hall was organized to answer students’ questions about the Fall, this time is for you to ask the administration and staff any questions that feel most relevant to you--please use it as you see fit.
Standing with Dr. Hernández-Romero
We want to directly address an email that was sent out yesterday by Dr. Marissel Hernández-Romero. Last night, Dr. Hernández-Romero in the Luso-Hispanic Studies department sent an email to many students, faculty, and staff about her experiences with racism and injustice as a Black woman on the Middlebury faculty. The email was deleted from various inboxes several hours later. The removal of Dr. Hernández-Romero’s email reflects the repeated silencing of BIPOC voices, especially Black voices, on Middlebury’s campus. The SGA remains committed to uplifting the voices of BIPOC members of the Middlebury community and honoring their stories. The SGA stands with Dr. Hernández-Romero as well as all students, faculty, and staff of color in our community.
There are three PDFs attached to this email. The first is Dr. Hernández-Romero’s original message, which has been circulating through the student body on social media and email lists. The second PDF is an email that members of the SGA sent to several administrators last night after the original email was deleted. The SGA has urged the administration to explain their actions and address the persistent racism that Dr. Hernández-Romero experienced as a professor at Middlebury. The third is the most recent email correspondence from the Chief Diversity Officer Miguel Fernández, Vice President of Academic Affairs & Dean of Faculty Sujata Moorti, and President Laurie Patton. Please read them all if you have not already.
Zoom Invitation for Student Town Hall
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Jun 29, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Student Town Hall
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://middlebury.zoom.us/j/99577904965?pwd=emN2RXdrTXpWRzROb2lLT21kU1RNdz09
Password: 467094
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16699006833,,99577904965#,,,,0#,,467094# or +13462487799,,99577904965#,,,,0#,,467094#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 995 7790 4965
Password: 467094
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/acxfGGQyIL
Or an H.323/SIP room system:
H.323:
162.255.37.11 (US West)
162.255.36.11 (US East)
115.114.131.7 (India Mumbai)
115.114.115.7 (India Hyderabad)
213.19.144.110 (EMEA)
103.122.166.55 (Australia)
209.9.211.110 (Hong Kong SAR)
64.211.144.160 (Brazil)
69.174.57.160 (Canada)
207.226.132.110 (Japan)
Meeting ID: 995 7790 4965
Password: 467094
SIP: 99577904965@zoomcrc.com
Password: 467094
Hoping to see you tonight,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Jackson Evans ‘22 & Bobbi Finkelstein ‘22
SGA Directors of Operations
Madison Holland ‘21
SGA Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Lizeth Lucero ‘21
SGA Director of Innovation & Technology
Maya Gee ‘22
Student Constituent Advisor to the College Board of Advisors
We want to remind you about tonight’s Student Town Hall and to put this event in the context of the recent deletion of Dr. Marissel Hernández-Romero’s email. The Student Town Hall is today, June 29 from 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom. The link to join is go.middlebury.edu/StudentTownHall/ and will be active at 6:55 PM EST. The full Zoom invitation is at the bottom of this email.
Itinerary
- 7:00-7:30 PM EST: Brief Introductory Remarks and Brief Presentations
- Introductory Remarks
- Health & Safety Overview
- Academic Affairs Overview
- Student Life Overview
- 7:30-8:15 PM EST: Pre-Submitted Questions & Answers
- Last week, the SGA sent out a Google Form for students to pre-submit questions about Fall 2020, which have since been collected and consolidated.
- Panelists will answer pre-selected questions.
- 8:15-8:30 PM EST: Live Follow-Up Questions & Answers
- Panelists will answer live follow-up questions to any of the information shared during the event using the chat and up-vote features.
- John Schurer ‘21, SGA President
- Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5, SGA Vice President
- Roni Lezama ‘22, SGA Vice President
- Hannah Ross, General Counsel
- Laurie Patton, President
- David Provost, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
- Jeff Cason, Provost
- Sujata Moorti, Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Amy Collier, Associate Provost for Digital Learning
- Suzanne Gurland, Dean of Curriculum
- Carlos Velez, Dean of International Programs
- Peggy Burns, Director of Center for Careers and Internships
- Ashley Laux, Director of Center for Community Engagement
- Miguel Fernández, Chief Diversity Officer
- Derek Doucet, Dean of Students
- AJ Place, Associate Dean of Student Life
- Amanda Reinhardt, Director of Student Activities
- Kathy Foley, Associate Dean & Director of International Student and Scholar Services
- Mark Peluso, Director of Health Services
- Barbara McCall, Director of Health and Wellness Education
- Gus Jordan, Executive Director of Health and Counseling
- Brian Lind, Associate Dean of Judicial Affairs and Student Life
- Jen Kazmierczak, Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator
- Kim Downs Burns, Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services
- Erin Quinn, Director of Athletics
Last week, the SGA sent out a Google Form for students to pre-submit questions about Fall 2020, which have since been collected and consolidated. There will be a live Q&A at the end of the event for students to ask additional questions. Although the Student Town Hall was organized to answer students’ questions about the Fall, this time is for you to ask the administration and staff any questions that feel most relevant to you--please use it as you see fit.
Standing with Dr. Hernández-Romero
We want to directly address an email that was sent out yesterday by Dr. Marissel Hernández-Romero. Last night, Dr. Hernández-Romero in the Luso-Hispanic Studies department sent an email to many students, faculty, and staff about her experiences with racism and injustice as a Black woman on the Middlebury faculty. The email was deleted from various inboxes several hours later. The removal of Dr. Hernández-Romero’s email reflects the repeated silencing of BIPOC voices, especially Black voices, on Middlebury’s campus. The SGA remains committed to uplifting the voices of BIPOC members of the Middlebury community and honoring their stories. The SGA stands with Dr. Hernández-Romero as well as all students, faculty, and staff of color in our community.
There are three PDFs attached to this email. The first is Dr. Hernández-Romero’s original message, which has been circulating through the student body on social media and email lists. The second PDF is an email that members of the SGA sent to several administrators last night after the original email was deleted. The SGA has urged the administration to explain their actions and address the persistent racism that Dr. Hernández-Romero experienced as a professor at Middlebury. The third is the most recent email correspondence from the Chief Diversity Officer Miguel Fernández, Vice President of Academic Affairs & Dean of Faculty Sujata Moorti, and President Laurie Patton. Please read them all if you have not already.
Zoom Invitation for Student Town Hall
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Jun 29, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Student Town Hall
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://middlebury.zoom.us/j/99577904965?pwd=emN2RXdrTXpWRzROb2lLT21kU1RNdz09
Password: 467094
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16699006833,,99577904965#,,,,0#,,467094# or +13462487799,,99577904965#,,,,0#,,467094#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 995 7790 4965
Password: 467094
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/acxfGGQyIL
Or an H.323/SIP room system:
H.323:
162.255.37.11 (US West)
162.255.36.11 (US East)
115.114.131.7 (India Mumbai)
115.114.115.7 (India Hyderabad)
213.19.144.110 (EMEA)
103.122.166.55 (Australia)
209.9.211.110 (Hong Kong SAR)
64.211.144.160 (Brazil)
69.174.57.160 (Canada)
207.226.132.110 (Japan)
Meeting ID: 995 7790 4965
Password: 467094
SIP: 99577904965@zoomcrc.com
Password: 467094
Hoping to see you tonight,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Jackson Evans ‘22 & Bobbi Finkelstein ‘22
SGA Directors of Operations
Madison Holland ‘21
SGA Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Lizeth Lucero ‘21
SGA Director of Innovation & Technology
Maya Gee ‘22
Student Constituent Advisor to the College Board of Advisors
| 1__sent_without_permission-_a_farewell_from_an_unwelcome_hire.pdf |
| 3__message_of_accountability.pdf |
| 2__in_response_to_dr._hernández-romeros_email.pdf |
Invitation to Student Town Hall
Friday, June 26, 2020
Dear Students,
On Monday, June 22, the Office of the President released their “Initial Decisions about the Fall Semester” to the Middlebury community. Anticipating the many questions that students would have, we have worked with Dean of Students Derek Doucet to host a Student Town Hall webinar with panelists from the Senior Leadership Group, and other relevant administration and staff. We want to ensure that students are given as much information as possible before July 6 to decide whether or not they will return to campus.
The Student Town Hall is on Monday, June 29 from 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom and will be recorded and posted for those who are unable to attend. We will send the link on the day of the event. There will be representation from Health and Safety, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Athletics, and Student Financial Services. SGA leadership will be moderating the discussion.
Event Itinerary:
Submit your questions here by Monday, June 29 at 12:00 PM EST. You may choose to submit questions anonymously.
We hope that this event will supplement recent and upcoming College communications as well as gather our community together during this uncertain time.
See you there,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
On Monday, June 22, the Office of the President released their “Initial Decisions about the Fall Semester” to the Middlebury community. Anticipating the many questions that students would have, we have worked with Dean of Students Derek Doucet to host a Student Town Hall webinar with panelists from the Senior Leadership Group, and other relevant administration and staff. We want to ensure that students are given as much information as possible before July 6 to decide whether or not they will return to campus.
The Student Town Hall is on Monday, June 29 from 7:00-8:30 PM EST via Zoom and will be recorded and posted for those who are unable to attend. We will send the link on the day of the event. There will be representation from Health and Safety, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Athletics, and Student Financial Services. SGA leadership will be moderating the discussion.
Event Itinerary:
- 7:00-7:30 PM EST: Brief Introductory Remarks and Brief Presentations
- Introductory Remarks
- Health & Safety Overview
- Academic Affairs Overview
- Student Life Overview
- 7:30-8:15 PM EST: Pre-Submitted Questions & Answers
- Panelists will answer pre-selected questions collected and consolidated by the SGA via the submission form linked below.
- 8:15-8:30 PM EST: Live Follow-Up Questions & Answers
- Panelists will answer live follow-up questions to any of the information shared during the event using the chat and up-vote features.
Submit your questions here by Monday, June 29 at 12:00 PM EST. You may choose to submit questions anonymously.
We hope that this event will supplement recent and upcoming College communications as well as gather our community together during this uncertain time.
See you there,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Matching Challenge Met to Promote Racial Justice and Equity
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Dear Students,
We write to thank you–and the rest of the Middlebury community–for your swift and generous response to our invitation to support organizations focused on promoting racial justice and equity in Vermont and across the country.
Thanks to the collective generosity of Middlebury students, alumni, faculty and staff, the Middlebury community has directed more than $46,000 to Black Lives Matter, The Innocence Project, Equal Justice Initiative, ACLU Vermont, and the Rutland Area NAACP. The SGA and the President’s Office will provide an additional $25,000 in matching gift funds to these organizations.
Here’s a breakdown of the allocation of donations:
ACLU of VT: 8%
Black Lives Matter: 25%
Equal Justice Initiative: 45%
Innocence Project: 15%
Rutland Area NAACP: 6%
As we look to the coming year, we will continue collaborating with the administration, faculty, staff, and students to advance anti-racist work at Middlebury.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Alice Hudson ‘21 & Mason Olmsted ‘21
SGA Directors of Finance
Abbott LaPrade ‘21
SGA Endowment Liaison
We write to thank you–and the rest of the Middlebury community–for your swift and generous response to our invitation to support organizations focused on promoting racial justice and equity in Vermont and across the country.
Thanks to the collective generosity of Middlebury students, alumni, faculty and staff, the Middlebury community has directed more than $46,000 to Black Lives Matter, The Innocence Project, Equal Justice Initiative, ACLU Vermont, and the Rutland Area NAACP. The SGA and the President’s Office will provide an additional $25,000 in matching gift funds to these organizations.
Here’s a breakdown of the allocation of donations:
ACLU of VT: 8%
Black Lives Matter: 25%
Equal Justice Initiative: 45%
Innocence Project: 15%
Rutland Area NAACP: 6%
As we look to the coming year, we will continue collaborating with the administration, faculty, staff, and students to advance anti-racist work at Middlebury.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Alice Hudson ‘21 & Mason Olmsted ‘21
SGA Directors of Finance
Abbott LaPrade ‘21
SGA Endowment Liaison
Middlebury will match to promote racial justice and equity
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Dear Students,
Last week, we collected student nominations on a Middlebury community-wide donation match campaign. We’re writing to you now to announce that in partnership with the Office of the President and the Office of Advancement, the SGA has launched a campaign to support the following organizations, which were selected with your input:
Between now and June 30, gifts from Middlebury students, alumni, faculty, and staff to one or more of these organizations will be matched with an additional gift of up to $250.
Here’s how it works:
Make your gift(s) directly to one or more of the five organizations above.
Send a copy of your gift receipt to: ca_records@middlebury.edu.
Your gift(s) will be matched — up to $250 from each donor, with a total match limit of $25,000.
Middlebury’s stated mission is to prepare students to lead engaged, consequential, and creative lives, contribute to their communities, and address the world’s most challenging problems.
We know that bigotry, intolerance, and structural inequality will not be solved with a singular institutional action or a one-time donation. We hope that this campaign is a step toward fostering a community that is committed to practicing anti-racism at Middlebury and beyond.
We can make progress, together.
Sincerely,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Alice Hudson ‘21 & Mason Olmsted ‘21
SGA Directors of Finance
Abbott LaPrade ‘21
SGA Endowment Liaison
P.S. We received nominations for many more organizations—the list above by no means represents all the ways you can provide support locally or nationally. We encourage you to continue your engagement outside of this fundraising campaign, perhaps by making recurring donations. Here is a list of many organizations suggested by you:
Last week, we collected student nominations on a Middlebury community-wide donation match campaign. We’re writing to you now to announce that in partnership with the Office of the President and the Office of Advancement, the SGA has launched a campaign to support the following organizations, which were selected with your input:
Between now and June 30, gifts from Middlebury students, alumni, faculty, and staff to one or more of these organizations will be matched with an additional gift of up to $250.
Here’s how it works:
Make your gift(s) directly to one or more of the five organizations above.
Send a copy of your gift receipt to: ca_records@middlebury.edu.
Your gift(s) will be matched — up to $250 from each donor, with a total match limit of $25,000.
Middlebury’s stated mission is to prepare students to lead engaged, consequential, and creative lives, contribute to their communities, and address the world’s most challenging problems.
We know that bigotry, intolerance, and structural inequality will not be solved with a singular institutional action or a one-time donation. We hope that this campaign is a step toward fostering a community that is committed to practicing anti-racism at Middlebury and beyond.
We can make progress, together.
Sincerely,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Alice Hudson ‘21 & Mason Olmsted ‘21
SGA Directors of Finance
Abbott LaPrade ‘21
SGA Endowment Liaison
P.S. We received nominations for many more organizations—the list above by no means represents all the ways you can provide support locally or nationally. We encourage you to continue your engagement outside of this fundraising campaign, perhaps by making recurring donations. Here is a list of many organizations suggested by you:
- ACLU
- Black Visions Collective
- Black Women’s Blueprint
- Color of Change
- Know Your Rights Camp
- NAACP
- National Bail Out
- Campaign Zero
- Dream Defenders
- The Okra Project
- The Loveland Foundation
- The Sadie Collective
- BYP100
- Minds Matter
- United We Dream
- RAICES
- Trans Women of Color Collective
- Black Lives Matter of Greater Burlington
- Middlebury SURJ
- Peace and Justice Center of Vermont
- The Alexander Twilight Academy
Nominations for Donation-Matching Campaign
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Dear Students,
We are committed to taking a stand and actively making efforts to support our students, especially those who are continuously impacted by racial injustices and inequities. On May 30, our Letter in Solidarity with the Black Community promised to improve upon the history of neutrality in the SGA. We aim to lead by example.
We’re excited to announce that we are working alongside the Office of the President and the Office of Advancement to launch a Middlebury community-wide donation-matching campaign that involves students, staff, faculty, administration, alumni, and families. You may have seen similar initiatives at peer institutions such as Barnard, Bowdoin, and Amherst.
We are asking you to nominate organizations dedicated to racial justice and equity. On the nomination form linked below, there are two sections: one for global and national organizations and one for local organizations. There is also an option to name an organization if you do not see one listed on the form. We will ensure that the final five selections reflect popularity amongst student nominations and a variety of global, national, and local organizations.
Nomination Form: go/Nominations/
Nomination Deadline: Friday, June 12 at 12:00 PM EST
Some of you may be wondering why we are not fundraising for institutional resources at Middlebury. The Office of the President made a commitment to advance anti-racist practices and make Middlebury a more equitable place. Thus, we are focusing this campaign on supporting the Black community via global, national, and local organizations.
We understand that this fundraising campaign is not enough on its own in dismantling unjust systems, but we hope that it evokes a more conscious and active Middlebury in the future. More information about the fundraising campaign will be released next week.
Sincerely,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Alice Hudson ‘21 & Mason Olmsted ‘21
SGA Directors of Finance
Abbott LaPrade ‘21
SGA Endowment Liaison
We are committed to taking a stand and actively making efforts to support our students, especially those who are continuously impacted by racial injustices and inequities. On May 30, our Letter in Solidarity with the Black Community promised to improve upon the history of neutrality in the SGA. We aim to lead by example.
We’re excited to announce that we are working alongside the Office of the President and the Office of Advancement to launch a Middlebury community-wide donation-matching campaign that involves students, staff, faculty, administration, alumni, and families. You may have seen similar initiatives at peer institutions such as Barnard, Bowdoin, and Amherst.
We are asking you to nominate organizations dedicated to racial justice and equity. On the nomination form linked below, there are two sections: one for global and national organizations and one for local organizations. There is also an option to name an organization if you do not see one listed on the form. We will ensure that the final five selections reflect popularity amongst student nominations and a variety of global, national, and local organizations.
Nomination Form: go/Nominations/
Nomination Deadline: Friday, June 12 at 12:00 PM EST
Some of you may be wondering why we are not fundraising for institutional resources at Middlebury. The Office of the President made a commitment to advance anti-racist practices and make Middlebury a more equitable place. Thus, we are focusing this campaign on supporting the Black community via global, national, and local organizations.
We understand that this fundraising campaign is not enough on its own in dismantling unjust systems, but we hope that it evokes a more conscious and active Middlebury in the future. More information about the fundraising campaign will be released next week.
Sincerely,
John Schurer ‘21
SGA President
Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA Vice Presidents
Alice Hudson ‘21 & Mason Olmsted ‘21
SGA Directors of Finance
Abbott LaPrade ‘21
SGA Endowment Liaison
Letter in Solidarity with the Black Community
Sunday, May 31, 2020
TW: racial violence, anti-Blackness, anti-trans violence, murder
Dear Students,
As leaders of the SGA at Middlebury College with support from fellow student leadership, we condemn all forms of racism and police brutality, and we stand in solidarity with our Black community, for whom the recent murders of Tony McDade, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have been especially painful.
These four individuals are among the many Black people whose lives have been unjustly taken away by the institutionalized discrimination and systemic racism that pervades our society. We acknowledge that Black communities are diverse within themselves; African American, African, Caribbean, and other Black-identifying students will undoubtedly have both shared and distinct experiences with these injustices.
Middlebury itself has not been exempt from racism. Within the past few years, we have experienced our own tangible instances of racial injustice: the racist pseudoscience of Charles Murray and other such speakers and the platform given to their agendas on multiple occasions, the racial profiling of Addis Fouche-Channer ‘17 and faculty members, microagressions in the classroom and in everyday campus life. Now, more than ever, is the time to hold ourselves accountable. Each one of us is capable of perpetuating or dismantling racism. Racism exists both actively and passively; oppression is continued both intentionally and unintentionally when we conflate, obfuscate, and undermine the struggles of and pain felt by Black communities.
We also want to acknowledge that the SGA has been historically neutral on a variety of issues related to racial equity and justice. Despite having been slow to develop a comprehensive response to these issues in the past, the incoming SGA is committed to putting these issues first. As the SGA, we aim to address the concerns of all student voices. To start our transformation, we must first confront the harm done through our inaction and silence. The SGA is dedicated to constantly educating ourselves by listening to Black communities, amplifying their voices, prioritizing their needs, advocating for their issues to the administration, and advancing their initiatives using institutional resources. Furthermore, we acknowledge that fighting for and standing with the Black community requires employing our own institutional position as the SGA to dismantle racism. This letter is only the beginning of a process of reconciliation to change the SGA and the broader Middlebury culture of complacency.
To Black students: We want to work with you however possible to make sure that you truly are respected, included, and uplifted in our Middlebury community. The SGA is composed of dozens of elected and appointed student-leaders who care deeply about these issues and want to support you all as peers and friends. Never hesitate to connect with us. Moreover, the following suggestions were compiled by some of our fellow student-leaders and the Anderson Freeman Resource Center.
The Anderson Freeman Resource Center (AFC) is driven by their mission to promote an inclusive and welcoming learning environment for the Middlebury community; in particular, they work to support students who have been historically underrepresented or marginalized in American higher education. We have included resources distributed by the AFC in their most recent communication below, as well as additional resources that various student-leaders have recommended. We urge you to check them out and get involved however you can.
DONATE: We are a community with many students whose families possess immense amounts of economic capital. Please consider the impact of redistributing wealth towards causes focused on the liberation of Black people. The descriptions below are from organization websites and @allthingseka on Instagram.
TAKE ACTION: We can all take actions towards changing the systems of power that shape this country. Challenge yourself and others to think critically about the ways in which white supremacy occurs both overtly and covertly in everyday life. Consider how your actions can help dismantle institutionalized discrimination and uplift the voices of those directly impacted.
It is imperative that we are intentional about how we demonstrate allyship. When engaging with content on social media, it is most effective to share posts with educational resources, places to donate, and news updates. This is a time to fight against performative activism; solely focusing on chain mail belittles Black lives and the current movement to a trend. Engagement must transcend social media and continue into daily conversations and choices.
SELF-EDUCATE: We urge you to critically analyze yourself, your own biases, and your role in these issues. Think about how you interact with notions of Black violence, colorism and the media’s perception of Black people. Are you having these conversations with yourself? Are you having them with your family and friends? As a student body, we cannot create a meaningful experience for all students unless we confront these issues, personally and outwardly. There are several organizations, films, shows, podcasts, and books that are actively providing a decolonized approach to discussing the history of Black people in America. It is the responsibility of non-Black people to learn, listen, and understand that Black people are not obligated to teach others how to show up for them.
The resources listed above barely scratch the surface. There are hundreds of other things to read, watch, and listen to that we encourage you to discover through your own research.
Our Middlebury community must care about every person; let us never forget this. We must be reminded that to remain silent is to remain complicit. We hope that our community can be one that practices solidarity and actively works to make Middlebury a safe and welcoming place for all.
Black lives matter.
Sincerely and collaboratively,
John Schurer ‘21, Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA President and Vice Presidents
Christian Kummer ‘22
Community Council Co-Chair
Brittney Azubuike ‘22
Black Student Union President
Luka Bowen ‘22
Distinguished Men of Color Secretary
Norma Leyva ‘22 & Charice Lawrence ‘23
Womxn of Color Co-Presidents
Arthur Martins ‘22.5, Smith Gakuya ‘23, Masud Tyree Lewis ‘22, Michelle Liu ‘22, Ariana Popa ‘22, Husam AlZulbaidy ‘23 & Tenzin Gyalmo ‘23
International Students’ Organization Executive Board
Madison Holland ‘21 & Francoise Niyigena ‘21
SGA Directors of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Jackson Evans ‘22 & Bobbi Finkelstein ‘21.5
SGA Directors of Operations
Rodney Adams ‘21 & Eun Ho Lee ‘21
SGA Senior Senators
Teddy Best ‘22 & Mariana Tahiri ‘22
SGA Junior Senators
Khasai Makhulo ‘23 & Miguel Sanchez-Tortoledo ‘23
SGA Sophomore Senators
Mistaya Smith ‘21.5 & Melisa Gurkin ‘23.5
SGA Feb Senators
Dear Students,
As leaders of the SGA at Middlebury College with support from fellow student leadership, we condemn all forms of racism and police brutality, and we stand in solidarity with our Black community, for whom the recent murders of Tony McDade, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have been especially painful.
These four individuals are among the many Black people whose lives have been unjustly taken away by the institutionalized discrimination and systemic racism that pervades our society. We acknowledge that Black communities are diverse within themselves; African American, African, Caribbean, and other Black-identifying students will undoubtedly have both shared and distinct experiences with these injustices.
Middlebury itself has not been exempt from racism. Within the past few years, we have experienced our own tangible instances of racial injustice: the racist pseudoscience of Charles Murray and other such speakers and the platform given to their agendas on multiple occasions, the racial profiling of Addis Fouche-Channer ‘17 and faculty members, microagressions in the classroom and in everyday campus life. Now, more than ever, is the time to hold ourselves accountable. Each one of us is capable of perpetuating or dismantling racism. Racism exists both actively and passively; oppression is continued both intentionally and unintentionally when we conflate, obfuscate, and undermine the struggles of and pain felt by Black communities.
We also want to acknowledge that the SGA has been historically neutral on a variety of issues related to racial equity and justice. Despite having been slow to develop a comprehensive response to these issues in the past, the incoming SGA is committed to putting these issues first. As the SGA, we aim to address the concerns of all student voices. To start our transformation, we must first confront the harm done through our inaction and silence. The SGA is dedicated to constantly educating ourselves by listening to Black communities, amplifying their voices, prioritizing their needs, advocating for their issues to the administration, and advancing their initiatives using institutional resources. Furthermore, we acknowledge that fighting for and standing with the Black community requires employing our own institutional position as the SGA to dismantle racism. This letter is only the beginning of a process of reconciliation to change the SGA and the broader Middlebury culture of complacency.
To Black students: We want to work with you however possible to make sure that you truly are respected, included, and uplifted in our Middlebury community. The SGA is composed of dozens of elected and appointed student-leaders who care deeply about these issues and want to support you all as peers and friends. Never hesitate to connect with us. Moreover, the following suggestions were compiled by some of our fellow student-leaders and the Anderson Freeman Resource Center.
- Taking a break from social media
- Connecting with other Black folx
- Disconnecting from toxic news outlets
- Vocalizing your grievances
- Setting boundaries with your non-Black friends and family.
- Visiting Middlebury’s confidential counseling and referral services at WellConnect or calling them at (866) 640-4777. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Reaching out to the AFC staff at any point this summer.
- Janae: www.calendly.com/jdue
- Jennifer: jherrera@middlebury.edu
- Paola: pmeza@middlebury.edu
The Anderson Freeman Resource Center (AFC) is driven by their mission to promote an inclusive and welcoming learning environment for the Middlebury community; in particular, they work to support students who have been historically underrepresented or marginalized in American higher education. We have included resources distributed by the AFC in their most recent communication below, as well as additional resources that various student-leaders have recommended. We urge you to check them out and get involved however you can.
DONATE: We are a community with many students whose families possess immense amounts of economic capital. Please consider the impact of redistributing wealth towards causes focused on the liberation of Black people. The descriptions below are from organization websites and @allthingseka on Instagram.
- Minnesota Freedom Fund: community-based nonprofit that pays criminal bail and immigration bonds for individuals who have been arrested while protesting police brutality.
- Black Visions Collective: a black, trans, and queer-led organization that is committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence, and shifting the public narrative to create transformative, long-term change.
- Reclaim the Block: coalition that advocates for and invests in community-led safety initiatives in Minneapolis neighborhoods
- Bail Funds/Legal Help by City: a Google Doc created by community organizers compiling bail funding and other such legal help resources by city.
- GoFundMe Pages: George Floyd | Ahmaud Arbery | Tony McDade
TAKE ACTION: We can all take actions towards changing the systems of power that shape this country. Challenge yourself and others to think critically about the ways in which white supremacy occurs both overtly and covertly in everyday life. Consider how your actions can help dismantle institutionalized discrimination and uplift the voices of those directly impacted.
It is imperative that we are intentional about how we demonstrate allyship. When engaging with content on social media, it is most effective to share posts with educational resources, places to donate, and news updates. This is a time to fight against performative activism; solely focusing on chain mail belittles Black lives and the current movement to a trend. Engagement must transcend social media and continue into daily conversations and choices.
- Resources for Accountability and Actions for Black Lives: a comprehensive Google Doc with resources collected by organizers that covers donation-worthy orgs, legal aid resources, additional action-oriented Google Docs, and other resources dedicated to addressing racial equity and justice.
- Text FLOYD to 55156
- Text JUSTICE to 668366
- Speak up against injustice with your friends and family.
- Connect with your Black friends and family. Check in on them. Listen to them.
SELF-EDUCATE: We urge you to critically analyze yourself, your own biases, and your role in these issues. Think about how you interact with notions of Black violence, colorism and the media’s perception of Black people. Are you having these conversations with yourself? Are you having them with your family and friends? As a student body, we cannot create a meaningful experience for all students unless we confront these issues, personally and outwardly. There are several organizations, films, shows, podcasts, and books that are actively providing a decolonized approach to discussing the history of Black people in America. It is the responsibility of non-Black people to learn, listen, and understand that Black people are not obligated to teach others how to show up for them.
- Podcasts
- Books
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
- Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment by Patricia Hill Collins
- Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
- Articles
- “The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying” by Adam Serwer
- “The Grief That White Americans Can’t Share” by Nikole Hannah-Jones
- “75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice” by Corinne Shutack
- “The 1619 Project,” The New York Times Magazine
- “The Anti-Racist Reading List,” by Brea Baker
- Videos & Shows
- Movies & Documentaries
- Websites & Social Media
- Steps to Becoming an Anti-Racist at Middlebury by Charice Lawrence ‘23, Ana Maria Espinosa ‘22, and Justice Hatton ‘20
- There’s Injustice All Around Us... Now What? A Learning/Resource Guide by Andrés Oyaga ‘23 & Daleelah Saleh ‘23
- Antiracism Center: Twitter
- Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Color Of Change: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
- Organizations
- For more educational resources, click here.
The resources listed above barely scratch the surface. There are hundreds of other things to read, watch, and listen to that we encourage you to discover through your own research.
Our Middlebury community must care about every person; let us never forget this. We must be reminded that to remain silent is to remain complicit. We hope that our community can be one that practices solidarity and actively works to make Middlebury a safe and welcoming place for all.
Black lives matter.
Sincerely and collaboratively,
John Schurer ‘21, Sophia Lundberg ‘21.5 & Roni Lezama ‘22
SGA President and Vice Presidents
Christian Kummer ‘22
Community Council Co-Chair
Brittney Azubuike ‘22
Black Student Union President
Luka Bowen ‘22
Distinguished Men of Color Secretary
Norma Leyva ‘22 & Charice Lawrence ‘23
Womxn of Color Co-Presidents
Arthur Martins ‘22.5, Smith Gakuya ‘23, Masud Tyree Lewis ‘22, Michelle Liu ‘22, Ariana Popa ‘22, Husam AlZulbaidy ‘23 & Tenzin Gyalmo ‘23
International Students’ Organization Executive Board
Madison Holland ‘21 & Francoise Niyigena ‘21
SGA Directors of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Jackson Evans ‘22 & Bobbi Finkelstein ‘21.5
SGA Directors of Operations
Rodney Adams ‘21 & Eun Ho Lee ‘21
SGA Senior Senators
Teddy Best ‘22 & Mariana Tahiri ‘22
SGA Junior Senators
Khasai Makhulo ‘23 & Miguel Sanchez-Tortoledo ‘23
SGA Sophomore Senators
Mistaya Smith ‘21.5 & Melisa Gurkin ‘23.5
SGA Feb Senators
