Black Lives Matter

The Division of Student Affairs at Sonoma State University (SSU) mourns the recent tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Many of our African American colleagues and students in our community are experiencing a deep sense of personal loss, pain, anger, and resentment because of these senseless deaths. As a Division and University, please know we stand together to condemn these increased acts of racial hatred and inhumane violence repeatedly targeted at members of the Black community. As one Noma Nation, we stand together in solidarity, loudly proclaiming - Black Lives Matter. At SSU, we are not Black against White; on the contrary, we are SSU against Racism. In the Division of Student Affairs, our culture of care is what drives our work; therefore, it is imperative that we learn from experiences, history, cultures, values, beliefs, and views that are different from our own in order for us to become more empathic, more tolerant, and more compassionate practitioners in our every day work.

As members of the DSA, we acknowledge our pain, our fear, and our disillusionment after this week’s past events. For many of us this metastasized hatred has, over time, fractured and split our communities, and placed our nation at risk. As members of the Division of Student Affairs, we must continue our commitment to confront racial violence, working until there is a just solution. A true culture of care begins with self, and if real change is to occur, we must use our collective strength to change the systems and structures in which we live into the community we all deserve.  #BlackLivesMatter

Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Affairs
Laura Monje-Paulson, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
Kathleen "Kathy" Andersen, M.D., Interim Director, Student Health Center 
Laura Williams, PsyD, Director, Counseling and Psychological Services
Susan Wandling, Director, Pre-Collegiate Program
Erik Dickson, Executive Director, Associated Students