Originally sent on June 5
Dear International students and scholars,
In recent weeks, Americans have voiced their pain and frustration over systemic racism and violence in our culture toward black men and women through protests, demonstrations, memorials and campaigns in many cities. Many of these protests have been peaceful, but some have resulted in violence, looting, and aggression, which can be very scary to experience if you are here and away from home. This experience may be especially difficult for our black international students and scholars, as you may be considering your own identity in terms of U.S. racial constructs. You may be scared about how police in the U.S. could treat you, or you may have experienced racism toward you or your family members.
On May 31, 2020, UConn President Tom Katsouleas and Provost Carl Lejuez stated to the University community that “These events underscore the critical importance of our infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in everything we do every single day. Not with mantra and platitudes, but with clearly articulated and tangible action that is supported by the University with budget and action. As scholars, educators, and colleagues, we are uniquely positioned to reflect, learn, and act.”
This message is to help international students and scholars have some basic context for what is happening in the U.S. right now, and find resources to learn more.
1. Connecticut and Safety: Connecticut is generally a very safe state. Protests and demonstrations held in Connecticut to support racial justice have been held in communities large and small, and while police have been deployed to some cities, demonstrations have been peaceful. There are no curfews currently in place in Connecticut or its cities. ISSS works closely with UConn police to support our international students and scholars. Students who are overseas can follow the local Connecticut news through such media as the Hartford Courant, the Daily Campus and the Willimantic Chronicle. UConn campuses are located in rural locations (Storrs and Avery Point) or small cities (Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury). UConn values a diverse environment with students from all racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
2. Know Your Rights: The American Civil Liberties Union provides resources on knowing your legal rights not to be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin or your immigration status, and your rights when stopped by police/law enforcement.
3. Understanding race and ethnicity in America: Learning more about the history of race and the civil rights movement in America is vital to understanding U.S. history and culture. The concepts of race and ethnicity may carry different meaning and significance in America than in other countries where you have lived. Many international students may not think about themselves in terms of racial identity before arriving in the United States, and suddenly find themselves identified by others in terms of race based on their physical appearance. This can be uncomfortable and disorienting. For some international students, your perception of racial identities may have been formed by pop culture, or the news media, and coming to the U.S. helps you to confront these perceptions. The World Education News and Review provides a definition of race and ethnicity in the U.S. context, that can be helpful for international students to understand the different use of these terms in America:
Race refers to a categorization of people based on physical characteristics (or phenotypes), such as skin color. Race is widely acknowledged to be a social construct, something formulated and understood differently in different national and other social contexts based on different histories and cultures. In the U.S., race is often described as being a “white/black binary,”[1] informed heavily by the country’s history of slavery and racial segregation focused primarily on black Americans.
Ethnicity refers to categorizations based on cultural differences, such as language, customs, and beliefs, as well as ancestry. This would include groups such as Chinese (or Chinese American), Jewish (or Jewish American), Cherokee, and so forth. Many countries around the world have more than one ethnic group living within their borders, all of which would be classified as the same race in the U.S. For example, in Nigeria, the largest ethnic groups are Hausa, Igbo (Ibo), Yoruba, and Fulani, according to the CIA World Factbook. Each group has its own language, history, culture, and traditions. Of course, race and ethnicity can have complicated overlaps, and there is no full, universally agreed-upon distinction between the two.
4. The Black Lives Matter movement and current demonstrations: The current U.S. protests and demonstrations were triggered by the death of a black man, George Floyd, after a police officer pinned him down by his neck for minutes during an arrest. The protests, however, reflect years of frustration and pain over black men and women losing their lives to police aggression, with little done by leadership to change the culture of racism in our police enforcement and communities, and a complex history of slavery, racial abuse and discrimination. The Black Lives Matter movement formed in 2013 out of the African American community to campaign against systemic violence toward black people and is now a global human rights movement. People from all backgrounds have participated in the recent demonstrations, to show their support for all people of color who may be suffering under systems of oppression. If you are living in a city and do not feel safe due to potential for violence, stay indoors while they are happening. If you want to participate in the protests, you have a legal right to do so, but if you are arrested this could potentially impact your eligibility for future visas to the United States.
5. How to learn more? ISSS has compiled some resources and suggestions to become more informed about the history of race in the U.S. and the current protests and demonstrations for racial justice:
● Take a class: UConn offers many classes that teach about racial justice, racism, and different identities and affinities in the U.S. Look to classes in the social sciences and humanities, such as Sociology, Africana Studies, Human Rights, Human Development and Family Studies, Asian and Asian American Studies, Anthropology, and more, for options.
● Follow events and resources from the UConn African American Cultural Center, the Africana Studies Institute and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Also follow events and resources from the UConn Asian American Cultural Center, Puerto Rico/Latin American Cultural Center, Rainbow Center, and Women’s Center.
● Explore further reading resources and racial justice resources compiled by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
● Check out the UConn Rainbow Center’s Anti-Racist Resources.
● UConn student organizations can be a good starting point to show active support or learn more on a particular issue you are passionate about. Look for organizations in the Activism & Advocacy category at UConntact.
● Using inclusive language shows your support and effort to create a welcome environment for all. If English is not your first language, it can be intimidating to learn the nuances of inclusive language use. You can search online for guides to inclusive language, and check out the Rainbow Center’s Guide to Gender and Pronouns and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s glossary for helpful language.
● Read UConn President Katsouleas’ and Provost Lejuez’s message to the community.
● Read about Black Lives Matter movement.
● BBC Viewpoint: What It’s Like to be an African in the U.S.
● NPR (National Public Radio) Special Series American Reckons With Racial Injustice and Code Switch Podcast
● PBS Newshour Series, Race Matters
Please feel free to contact ISSS or any of the UConn resources above if you have questions or concerns. As we identify new resources, we will add these to our webpage under the News posts.