March 25, 2020
Director's Statement
We at the HERE Center see the complexity in these historic times. While we were angered and deeply saddened by the worsening of racial health disparities by placing political priorities over humanity, the ongoing fallout of COVID-19 now includes systemic, economic disparities that drive all other disparities.
We are tracking these increasing gaps in health and access to healthcare with students from the Department of Health Sciences. We are enraged by the latest murder, George Floyd’s, at the hands of four Minnesota officers, and ally with anti-racism action at CSUN and across the nation.
We call for the adoption of a critical framework for reconsidering race in the U.S. We at the HERE Center see an opening for expanded support of anti-racism education and activism in light of the protests, catalyzed not only by George Floyd but by 400 years of racial oppression that changes in appearance, but remains a racist culture until we confront racism directly.
The umbrella of movements like Black Lives Matter are being expanded and phrases like “systemic racism” and “white silence is compliance,” are now mainstream messages, even in regions that are predominantly white. Racism is a public health crisis.
If you would like to join the HERE Center in our anti-racism efforts, please feel free to contact us at herecenter@csun.edu. In the meantime, here are some resources to learn more and act up against racism!