We need your help to make this initiative happen! Please sign in support, your signatures are imperative!

On May 25th, multiple police officers participated in the murder of George Floyd. The world watched in horror as a video showed the life of a black man stolen with callous indifference and aggression. Subsequently, worldwide protests have occurred calling for justice. These protests are not just for George Floyd, they are for Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, and countless others. Peaceful protesters nationwide have been met with unbridled violent force from police, including our capital, Washington, D.C. Police have killed at least five of the peaceful protestors and injured and arrested thousands more. 

In the past years, Emmanuel has failed disastrously at justice on our campus. From the lack of action regarding Title IX to the blatant disregard of the Black Student Union’s call to action. Your empty words and platitudes are not enough. If you are truly a campus that encourages social justice, then you must be the change that you wish to see in the world.

This letter calls for a three-point plan of action. First, we demand a revisitation of BSU’s Call to Action with a clear description of the action that has been taken and will be taken in the future to address the call to action’s demands. If there has been action taken, please share with the students which of the demands have been met. Second, we demand Emmanuel College divest from the Boston Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police and invest in resources that elevate Emmanuel Students. We also ask that Emmanuel release how much is spent funding Campus Safety every fiscal year.

Thirdly, we demand that Emmanuel College donate $50.00 per signature up until the Fall of 2020 split between the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Boston Branch, Black Lives Matter Boston, and Campaign Zero.  These funds may not come from student-oriented services, such as the student activity fee, residential life, the counseling center, etc. 

The presence of the Boston Police Department is a direct threat to Emmanuel students, whether that is daily through Campus Saftey officers or when our campus is used as a home base for the BPD. “Nearly 1 in 3 black people killed by police in 2015 were identified as unarmed, though the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting.” Studies have shown that the presence of police force on campus leads to a “higher rate of suspensions, expulsions, and arrests that funnel kids into the criminal justice system” particularly for students of color. The employees of Campus Safety on our own campus have acted with authority but not accountability. Our own students have faced a variety of negative experiences with the police force on campus. From racial profiling to carelessness with sensitive cases to gaslighting and an overzealous abuse of their power. The money used to fund the Boston PD can go towards much more productive things, such as a stipend for underprivileged students working unpaid internships, better counseling center resources, or the Swipe-it-Forward program, to name a few. Emmanuel must work to create a public safety model with professionals trained to deal with students, not criminals to ensure that students have security and safety on campus. This is not a novel idea, The University of Minnesota has already cut ties with their local police force. Make no mistake these issues are not just black issues: they are humanitarian issues. I assure you that neither current students nor perspective students will feel safe with the continued presence of the Boston Police Department on our campus. 

If Emmanuel’s mission truly is “to educate students in a dynamic learning community rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and shaped by strong ethical values, [with] a commitment to social justice and service,” then show us. We challenge you to act. To lead. And to give generously to others. If Emmanuel truly stands with the Black Lives Matter Movement and rejects racism and oppression in all forms, this action will not be difficult to take. We are tired, but we are not hopeless. I call you to stand with us and make the only right decision. We expect a reply to this concern within 72 hours of receipt on June 18, 2020.