Jane Addams Student Government Supports Culture of Anti-Racism in Solidarity With Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
To the Jane Addams College of Social Work Community:
The Jane Addams Student Government (JASG) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Jane Addams College of Social Work stands in solidarity with our Black students, staff, and faculty. We are committed to helping build a community free from discrimination, violence, and abuse of power. Social justice is ingrained in the social work profession. We advocate for a society where everyone can live with dignity and be free from fear of persecution for simply existing.
It is our obligation as students of social work to uplift the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our College and within UIC as a whole. Because of these values, it is imperative that we take a stand to stop the spread of hate, systemic racism, and oppression. To be silent is to be complicit. With that in mind, it is immensely important to act during this time by protesting if possible, staying informed, donating when you can, and volunteering at organizations that uplift and empower Black communities.
We stand in solidarity with UIC's Black Student Union, Black Graduate Student Association, and Black student organizers in their demands that UIC divest from police and instead invest in Black students. Full demands can be found here.
Furthermore, we recognize that there is significant and ongoing work to do within our College, University, and field to dismantle white supremacy and build an anti-racist culture. We intend to uplift and support this movement throughout our tenure as student government and welcome your feedback or ideas on how best to do so.
JASG recognizes the privilege we hold and our role in providing an avenue for BIPOC students in particular to voice experiences of discrimination and injustices within the University community. We want to reinforce our commitment to amplifying the voices of our BIPOC student body and invite you to let your JASG representatives know what your concerns are so that we can fight for the changes you need. Please reach out to us via our confidential email: JACSWstudentgov@gmail.com. Students may also reach out directly to our designated grievance liaisons - MSW students: Kate Maley (kmaley2@uic.edu) and PhD Students: Lauren Cox (lecox@uic.edu).
We are grateful for the opportunity to envision and build an anti-racist future alongside all of you.
In Solidarity,
Lauren Topel, President
Julia Crisman, Vice-President
Kate Maley, Student Affairs Chair
Lauren Cox, PhD Program Liaison
Dorian Matias-Williams, PM Extended Study Program Liaison
Ashley Marsh, MSW-MPH Liaison
Michael O’Connell, Former Treasurer 2018-2020