The following message was sent from the Tuck Association of Diverse Alumni on Monday, June 1, 2020 in response to the national discourse concerning racial injustice, police brutality, and the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.
To the TADA Community:
In light of recent tragedies in this country that have exposed racism and prejudice in the most disgusting and tragic ways, we as your TADA Co-Chairs are reaching out to condemn these acts and share a message of solidarity and compassion with you. More importantly, we want to let you know that we are dedicated, now more than ever, to bring our group together in support of one another, and to push forward in our quest to end injustice for people of color, particularly black and brown communities everywhere.
One week ago, George Floyd was brutally murdered in Minneapolis by a police officer, and many of us watched the horrific footage lasting nearly nine minutes of his gruesome death. This unfortunate event is the tip of the iceberg of a series of occurrences, which include recent racial profiling event involving Christian Cooper in New York City, the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Georgia, and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and hundreds of people of color in this country being abused, racially profiled, wrongfully incarcerated, and murdered. Black and brown people have become mere hashtags on social media as we all become desensitized to devastating crimes. I’m sure we all agree that something must be done. We hear you and we grieve with you.
As alumni members of the Tuck community and leaders within our communities and workplaces, we have a responsibility to speak out against these injustices and share our viewpoints with those around us, in an effort to not only grieve these lives, but also to further tolerance and justice for all people. TADA has been in conversations with the Tuck administration, the student body President Teo Gonzalez, T’21, D&I Chair Roderick Milligan, T’21, and Black Students Association at Tuck (BSAT) Co-Chair Leah Jack, T’21 to show our support and align on our diversity and inclusion-related objectives, in an effort to make an even stronger impact within the greater Tuck community. Current students have hosted events such as ‘Controversial Conversations’ and ‘Ahmaud Arbery Ask Me Anything’ to facilitate the discussion on institutionalized racism, become effective allies, and learn from each other.
As TADA looks ahead to revitalizing our mission, objectives, and programming for the year ahead, you will continue to hear from us regarding panel discussions, career opportunities, and social events that create a sense of community, support our professional growth, and activate the next generation of diverse leaders within the Tuck network. Gearing up for the months ahead, let’s remain focused by calling out inequity and promoting kindness and fairness. Despite our frustration, fatigue, and outright anger with the state of affairs in this country, let us practice empathy and compassion, and unite as leaders that will strengthen our communities for a more just and tolerant society.
We'd like to hear from you. In times like these, let’s remember to stand united, learn from each other, and tackle these challenges together. We invite you to join our Facebook Community to continue the conversation.
In unity,
Your TADA Leadership Team
Joyce Cadesca T’13
Lisha Davis T’10
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