The New York University School of Global Public Health honors the following individuals, and their families, who have been recently killed by racist violence in the United States (this is a partial list):
Eric Garner, John Crawford III, Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Dante Parker, Michelle Cusseaux , Laquan Mcdonald, George Mann, Tanisha Anderson, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Rubain Brisbon, Jerame Reid, Matthew Ajibade, Frank Smart, Natasha Mckenna, Tony Robinson, Anthony Hill, Mya Hall, Phillip White, Eric Harris, Walter Scott, William Chapman II, Alexia Christian, Brendon Glenn, Victor Manuel Larosa, Jonathan Sanders, Freddie Gray, Joseph Mann, Salvado Ellswood, Sandra Bland, Albert Joseph Davis, Darrius Stewart, Billy Ray Davis, Samuel Dubose, Michael Sabbie, Brian Keith Day, Christian Taylor, Troy Robinson, Asshams Pharoah Manley, Felix Kumi, Keith Harrison Mcleod, Junior Prosper, Lamontez Jones, Paterson Brown, Dominic Hutchinson, Anthony Ashford, Alonzo Smith, Tyree Crawford, India Kager, La'vante Biggs, Michael Lee Marshall, Jamar Clark, Richard Perkins, Nathanial Harris Pickett, Benni Lee Signor, Miguel Espinal, Michael Noel, Kevin Matthews, Bettie Jones, Quintonio Legrier, Keith Childress Jr., Janet Wilson, Randy Nelson, Antronie Scott, Wendell Celestine, David Joseph, Calin Roquemore, Dyzhawn Perkins, Christopher Davis, Marco Loud, Peter Gaines, Torrey Robinson, Darius Robinson, Kevin Hicks, Mary Truxillo, Demarcus Semer, Willie Tillman, Terrill Thomas, Sylville Smith, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Terence Crutcher, Paul O'neal, Alteria Woods, Jordan Edwards, Aaron Bailey, Ronell Foster, Stephon Clark, Antwon Rose II, Botham Jean, Pamela Foster, Dominique Clayton, Atatiana Jefferson, Christopher Whitfield, Christopher McCorvey, Eric Reason, Michael Lorenzo Dean, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
As faculty, staff, and administrators of New York University’s School of Global Public Health dedicated to social justice and equity, we are at a crossroads. America’s history of racist violence grounded in the systemic racism and discrimination against Black, Brown and other communities of color has once again taken center stage with the horrific murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. At this critical juncture, NYU’s School of Global Public Health recommits itself to a public health agenda dedicated to dismantling racist and inequitable structures, policies, and practices, globally, nationally, locally and in our own school. As the newest school at NYU and newest Accredited School of Public Health in the U.S., we are taking a critical first step to review the following core school functions to ensure that each has processes in place that promote and maximize racial equity:
- Teaching and advising
- Curriculum content and offerings
- Student recruitment, admissions and retention
- Faculty and staff recruitment, promotion and professional development
- Community service and advocacy
- Research
In doing so, our central question will be: do the various structures, policies, and practices currently in place reinforce a racialized hierarchy in America or do they actively promote greater diversity, inclusion, equity and fairness? We aim to hold ourselves to the highest standard of social justice in all we do.
Over the coming months, we will share the concrete steps we are taking to accelerate our efforts to build a more just and impactful NYU School of Global Public Health to benefit those within and beyond the school.
We envision creating our School of Global Public Health as a model, where all groups -- whether defined by race or by other superficial markers of difference -- are valued, welcomed, and can flourish.
We thank an ad hoc group of our dedicated GPH faculty as well as the voting faculty and staff for issuing the following statement.
All-University Anti-Racism Education, Programs, and Resources
The Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation will continue to provide consultation and guidance across the University as individuals, schools, units, and departments meet within their local and global contexts and engage in anti-racism work, education, and dialogue.
Anti-racism work requires sustained, proactive education and engagement as well as systemic, intentional efforts at micro- and macro-levels. Anti-racism work also requires individuals to take responsibility for their own learning and avoid placing the responsibility for that education on already marginalized and disenfranchised groups, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).