June 10, 2020

 We, The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Greater Washington, DC (OSUDC), stand in solidarity with Black Ohio State alumni, students, faculty and staff, and Buckeye Nation. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade are only some of the most recent in a long history of unjust Black deaths at the hands of law enforcement.

We stand with our fellow alumni, family, and friends who are peacefully demanding justice and exercising their right to protest here in DC, in Columbus, and across the country. Black Lives Matter, especially as we are all dealing with a global pandemic that is disproportionally impacting Black communities and people of color. As OSU President Dr. Michael Drake said on June 1, “racism is indeed a public health crisis,” and “we must seriously and concretely redouble our efforts to end abuse, discrimination, bigotry, and hatred.”

We urge all alumni to support the June 1 statement by the Undergraduate Student Government, the Inter-Professional Council, and the Council of Graduate Students at The Ohio State University by signing their petition here, which lists priorities and concrete actions that both the university and the Columbus Police Department can take to improve Black student safety, overall student wellbeing, and community safety in Columbus.

We also want you to know that we are here and stand with you through these moments and calls for justice. If you are an alum looking for resources, please view these resources from the Office of Student Life’s Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS). If you are a student who is looking for support, please utilize the Let’s Talk! service through CCS or call (614) 292-5766. Additional student support is available through the Multicultural Center and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

If you are a parent, teacher, or someone looking for ways to speak with children about racism, here are some resources:

• Video: Helping Your Child Cope with Media Coverage of Community Racial Trauma: Tips for Parents (3:30 mins)
• List of 31 Books to help teach anti-racism
• Parent Toolkit: How to Talk to Kids About Race and Racism 
• How to Talk to Your Children about Protests and Racism & Navigating News Media Exposure 
• Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice 

 In Firm Friendship,

The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Greater Washington, DC Board of Governors