Message on May 14th shooting in Buffalo, NY

On Saturday, in Buffalo, New York, a white person murdered 10 people, 8 of whom were Black. This egregious act of anti-Black racism is a form of terror exacted against Black bodies and communities. Racism implicates all of us, pointing to our individual and collective responsibilities to better understand its consequences and contribute to its elimination.

Universities are ideally places where individuals grapple with difficult issues, including ongoing forms of racism and colonialism. As an institution committed to moving toward equity, it is critical for faculty, staff, and students at TMU to recognize the violence of this act and its dehumanizing and horrific impact.

It is our hope that in the aftermath of such an event, we can continue to prioritize attention to possibilities for living together well, including the elimination of racially motivated violence. Such attention will require a commitment to reflecting on and changing the power relationships and social norms that make such violence possible.  

Jennifer S. Simpson, Provost & Vice President, Academic and Anver Saloojee, Interim Vice President, Equity and Community Inclusion