Support for the CMU Community After Verdict in Trial of Derek Chauvin
On Tuesday afternoon, the world heard from the jury for the trial of Derek Chauvin: guilty on all charges. Decades from now, people will tell their grandchildren they remember where they were when they heard the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial. Some will recall cheers and feelings of relief, while others will be absorbing the truth that more than 400 years of injustice and anguish did not evaporate with one trial's outcome. Understandably, you may have complicated feelings of joy, sadness and lingering pain to process.
Please know we are here for you. You are not alone. Take the time you need for self-care and reflection. Talk with your friends, family and colleagues about their perspectives as well. Moments like these demonstrate the need for coordinated responses that pull together partners from across campus. Much of this good work was already being done and one of my first acts has been to uplift those efforts for wider audiences while recommending new outreach efforts. Consider referring to the resource materials and support systems listed below.
In solidarity,
Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant
Vice Provost for DEI and Chief Diversity Officer
Resources
For Students, Faculty, Staff and More
Self-Care
- Race and Mental Health (Project LETS)
- Talking About Race (National Museum of African American History and Culture)
- The Four Bodies: A Holistic Toolkit for Coping With Racial Trauma (Nappy Head Club)
- Understanding Racial Trauma and Restorative Healing/Self-Care Strategies (Hawkeye College)
- My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Mending of Our Bodies and Hearts by Resmaa Menakem
- The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help you Deserve by Rheeda Walker
- Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit by Mary-Frances Winters
Anti-Racism and Racial Justice
- Radical Empathy in Teaching (pdf)
- The Power of Empathy (Video)
- 103 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- If You Want To Be Anti-Racist, This Non-Optical Allyship Guide Is Required Reading (Vogue UK)
- Justice in June by Bryanna Wallace and Autumn Gupta
- Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism (Fractured Atlas)
- So You Call Yourself an Ally: 10 Things All "Allies" Need to Know (Everyday Feminism)
CMU Resources
Resources
For Faculty, Staff and Supervisors
FocusU
(Requires website log in)
FocusU Courses
Trainings on Civility, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Bridging the Diversity Gap
- Your Role in Workplace Diversity
- Facing the Management Challenges of Difficult Behavior and Diverse Teams
- Workplace Management: Global HR, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion
FocusU Book Reviews
Guidance Resources
(Require website log in)
EAP
Stress and Emotional Management
On-Demand EAP Webinars (login required)
- Coping With a Crisis or Traumatic Event
- Managing Emotions in the Workplace
- Using Reason To Resolve Conflict
Toolkits (PDFs)
Resources for Parents and Children
Care@Work
Guidance Resources (EAP)
- How to Address Children's Questions about Tragedy and Violence
- Education and Discrimination: What Parents Can Do
- Encouraging Tolerance and Acceptance in Children