Beyond Borders

Dear Members of the College of Fine Arts,

In learning about the peaceful protests met with abhorrent violence in Iran and the heinous murders of children in Thailand, my heart breaks and extends sorrow and empathy to those whose families, communities and cultures stem from those beautiful countries.

In reflecting, I thought about recent experiences in the United States — the monstrous violence in Uvalde, Texas and the violence and unconstitutional arrests of protesters at the capital. It is evident our borders and nationalities do not prevent us from experiencing similar trauma. This shared trauma demonstrates how vast oppression is and the extent to which our fight for our communities, our children and our rights is shared and extends beyond borders to incite a fight for all human rights. We are in this together.

I ask everyone to engage in values of empathy to those being impacted by the violence abroad. I ask that you practice kindness and grace, and extend a higher respect for cultural differences because of our similarities in the fight for human justice. We must continue to center our humanity as we seek social justice and, united, continue to oppose violence, intimidation and discrimination.

I write to ask this of you all and to share my deepest compassion for those grieving. These last few weeks have been extraordinary for so many of us — from hurricanes and flooding, to violence and war, to home and food insecurity, resulting in a rise in deaths across the world. You are not alone — I am here for you, as is your community at the College of Fine Arts.

As Dr. Wanda Heading Grant and Gina Casalegno shared in their email to the student body, “These events can take a toll on our mental, emotional and physical health, so we encourage you to turn to those you find most helpful in times of stress or hardship, such as family, friends, faith leaders, advisors and mentors.” I urge every member of our college to create time for self-care and rest.

For students seeking support, the Student Support Resources team is available through the Office of the Dean of Students. The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion offers space for gathering and community engagement and Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) offers support, day or night, at 412-268-2922 for students. Faculty and staff, if you are in need, please utilize the Employee Assistance Program and Guidance Resources.

Sending healing energy to you all.

In community,

Valeria J. Martinez
Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
College of Fine Arts