DBBS: Statement on #ShutdownSTEM

Dear DBBS Community,

We are inspired by the sentiment of #ShutdownSTEM, hence we are aligning our Division with its aims and participating. As we highlighted in the letter to our community last week, we are committed to centering anti-racist policy and work. We fully support our DBBS community participating in this action. Should students, faculty, or staff need support in advocating for their participation in observing this day, we are here for you.

To lead by example, DBBS staff will be encouraged to engage with the resources listed below. In addition, DBBS staff have been asked to cancel all meetings in order to read, reflect and consider the actions they will take in solidarity. Our Division will also share information on social media to educate and reaffirm our commitment to anti-racist policy and work. We recognize that this is just one day; being committed to this work will take more than 24 hours of education or advocacy. We will need to commit to this work moving forward and we stand firm in our effort to do so.

We encourage the wider DBBS community to engage with these educational and mental health resources as well. This is a moment to center how we will, as individuals, preserve momentum gained in this movement to affect systems and our communities.

We ask that you continue to engage with DBBS as we develop and implement a robust strategic plan to meaningfully address diversity, equity, and inclusion in our spaces. We hope the learning and progress gained from this day is not lost and continues, as we know this work will never truly be done until all systems of oppression and domination are changed.

In Solidarity,
Robyn, Cami, Joel, and Rosie

Educational, Community, and Support Resources

We recognize there may be paralysis in not knowing what to do at this time. We want to highlight some recommendations and resources that you can use. While this is not an exhaustive list or checklist, this is a place to start:

As a note in a movement for justice and equity, we recognize this means there will be a diversity of tactics and we must support and center those most directly affected by these issues. Supporting and centering the movement can take many different shapes and forms- there is no one way to do this work given we all have differing limits, boundaries, and traumas we carry with us. This means we will intentionally take care to not put others in harm’s way with our actions, especially those who are most vulnerable. Similarly, we should work to support those in leadership who are affected by these issues. Those of us with privileges should shoulder risks and burdens when others cannot. Talk to people who are in the fight with you. The stronger our community is the more difficult it is to divide us.

If you would like to get involved with protest taking place in the St. Louis community, please refer to these resources:

  • Expect Us page: Expect Us is for organizers to connect with others and build bridges with the St. Louis community
  • Resist STL page: Resist STL utilizes their social media pages to aggregate resistance in St. Louis