We have witnessed tragic deaths in recent weeks where black citizens of the United States have been murdered in the grotesque guise of enforcing the laws of our country. A long list that includes the names Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd is a testimony to the callous, destructive racism that pervades our nation and that triggers deadly assaults seemingly reserved for people of color.
We, the faculty and staff of the NYU Department of Chemistry express our collective dismay and stand in opposition to racism in all of its dimensions and the particular peril that it imposes on people of color. We demand that the enforcement of our laws not be perversely, indiscriminately, maliciously and disproportionately visited upon black and brown people.
We affirm our commitment to equal opportunity, and equal protection which must be universal for the health of our society, the wellbeing of our students, our families, our nation, and ultimately all nations.