A Message from the Dean
Dear UIC Business Community, Heading link
The killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are just the most recent examples that racism continues to permeate our society and a reminder of how far we are from true equality in our country. These events remind us that we have much work to do. We have a responsibility to each other to respond to these injustices and take action.
To the members of the Black community at UIC Business, while most of us cannot fully grasp what each of you may be feeling – anger, anxiety, fear, frustration, or the inability to concentrate on school or work – we want you to know that we are here for you. We have a collective responsibility to be supportive allies in more than just words but also in deeds. As Chancellor Amiridis emphasized, “We are a community that values our differences, our diversity and our shared compassion for humanity. We will always strive to be one grounded in mutual understanding and respect.”
Please note that this is only a beginning in the UIC Business response to this moment. We are ready and willing to do more. We need your voices to help us chart a path forward that builds on UIC’s tradition of social justice. We are planning a town hall in July to dialogue about our experiences and create a map for our community.
In the meantime, we are here. Please reach out to us if you have thoughts about how the college can respond to these events, support those who are suffering, and empower positive change. If you are looking for ways to support local businesses, Black Owned Chicago helps find and support black-owned businesses throughout the city. If you need support coping with the disturbing events that occurred in the last couple of weeks, please reach out to the many resources on campus.
Sincerely,
Mike Mikhail