As justice continues to be on trial across the country, we at the UNM Division for Equity and Inclusion (DEI) remain in solidarity with those continuously affected by systemic violence. We are disheartened by the verdict of the Kyle Rittenhouse case, which stems from the brutal shooting of Jacob Blake by law enforcement. We grieve with the families of Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and also hope for the full recovery of the third victim, Gaige Grosskreutz. This verdict, narrowly decided on the grounds of "self-defense," ignores harms against groups historically marginalized by white supremacy and fails to address the racist fears and pervasive gun violence that led to these tragic shootings. UNM DEI continues to monitor other incidents including the trial of those accused of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery as justice, and racial justice in particular continues to be on trial across the country. We urge people affected by the verdict to reach out to SHAC (Student Health and Counseling for students: 505.277.3136) or CARS (Counseling and Referral Services for Staff and Faculty: 505.277.0111). If you need to report discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics, please contact Ethics Point or the Compliance Ethics and Equal Opportunity Office (CEEO). We are reminded healing comes through solidarity, and we remain committed to dismantling systemic injustice.

The Division for Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the University of New Mexico (UNM) has learned about another frightening and deplorable act of violence, the recent verbal and physical attack on a Jewish student at an off-campus residence. Federal hate crimes prosecutions have been on the rise in the U. S. since the mid 2000s. And offenses have become more violent, as reported by the U. S. Department of Justice. As noted by Vanita Gupta, U.S. Associate Attorney General and former president & CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, this remains “a crucial time, when too many people in this country feel unwelcome, unsafe, and marginalized." We are still in the wake of “divisive rhetoric … and policies targeting or casting wide aspersions on … marginalized communities." We therefore urge unity to confront legitimization or normalization of hate. DEI reminds individuals that in a diverse academic setting, the opportunity for constructive dialogue around tenuous issues is encouraged. Acts of hate speech, violence, and other acts that threaten a flourishing and inclusive campus climate will not be tolerated. We remind everyone that any incidents of hate or bias against any member of our community, defy our values as a university and violate our respectful campus policy (http://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/2000/2240.html). Additionally, any crimes committed against individuals because of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity, or disability are subject to federal and state hate crime laws which increase the penalty for the offense. We urge anyone who has received offensive communications and has either witnessed or experienced a hate or bias incident via e-mail or in person, to reach out to the UNM Police Department (UNMPD) and UNM Office of Compliance, Ethics and Equal Opportunity (CEEO) and fill out a hate/bias incident report at http://compliance.unm.edu/compliance-hotline/. Reports can be made anonymously and are investigated fully. UNM has confidential reporting sites for students, staff, and faculty who may not be sure if they wish to proceed with an CEEO report or if their concern warrants an CEEO report. Confidential advocates can be reached at: the Women’s Resource Center (women@unm.edu), LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center (loborespect@unm.edu) and the LGBTQ Resource Center (fiyero81@unm.edu). We look forward to continuing to build bridges of communication, understanding and solidarity and finding common ground for advancing human rights to ensure that our university remains accessible and welcoming to all.

Dear UNM AAPI Community, We, the UNM Division for Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and undersigned members of the UNM community, grieve with you over the Atlanta-area murders of March 16, 2021, which targeted Asian-American women and continued a pattern of hate crimes against the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community. While the initial tweets and statements issued by the university have condemned these horrific acts, we appreciate that members of our community felt that these racist and misogynistic attacks were not adequately or swiftly acknowledged. For our part in this, we apologize. Please know that you are valued members of our community. DEI and the undersigned are committed to learning from this and promoting a university culture that sees and addresses your needs, through words and meaningful actions. We know that historic and contemporary discrimination and violence is deeply rooted in anti-Asian gendered racism. Please know that we stand in solidarity with AAPI students, colleagues and community and that we commit to working to eliminating this violence. We must speak out and teach about the history and contemporary forms of violence. We send out a clarion call for justice and liberation that eliminate all forms of racism, gendered violence and other intersectional oppressions. As we write this letter our nation is grieving more loss – this time in Colorado. We know that those who abide hate would want us to feel relief: “At least this time, it’s not me. It’s not my family that is being killed.” We refuse to have our community divided by fear. Those who would harm us need to know that we stand together. We denounce the violence that pervades our country. We stand with our neighbors in Colorado, with the AAPI community, and with so many other groups who have survived violence. We persist and we will prevail--as one community, indivisible, committed to safe spaces and liberation for all. Know justice; know peace. University of New Mexico Division for Equity and Inclusion Note: We thank HSC School of Medicine Certified Nurse Midwife Thanh-Tam Ho, HSC School of Medicine Resident, Dr. Jocelyn Wu, and their colleagues for helping us to craft our statement.