President Langell sent the following letter after the announcement Tuesday, April 20, of the jury’s decision in the Derek Chauvin case.
Dear NEOMED Community:
As grief and frustration mounts over race-related injustices and killings, the jury’s decision in the Derek Chauvin case gives us a moment to pause and reflect on the continued work needed as our country grapples with officer-involved shootings of Blacks, Latinx and other people of color.
These horrific instances are devastating to us all. Trials, verdicts and the anticipation of sentencing (in the coming weeks) can heighten our anxiety, anger, stress and sorrow. We encourage everyone on our campus to be mindful of the impact these events may have on our students, faculty, staff and communities.
NEOMED stands with those who call for social justice and equity. We stand for one community fueled by the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. We must ― individually and institutionally ― do all that we can to celebrate our country’s great diversity and to structurally and systematically prevent race-related injustices and killings from happening again. Our actions must be united, and we must demand accountability. We must achieve our goals through thoughtful, peaceful and impactful measures.
Talking to someone during these troubling times can be helpful to many, particularly for those who have feelings of anxiety, sadness or frustration. We urge anyone who feels overwhelmed to reach out for counseling by contacting the following NEOMED service areas:
- Student Wellness and Counseling Services, counseling@neomed.edu | 330.325.6757
- Student Services, studentservices@neomed.edu | 330.325.6735
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, aburton@neomed.edu |330.325.6733
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP), myimpactsolution.com, Member Login: NEOMED | 800.227.6007
Please also look forward to continued engagement during our NEOMED community Zooms titled, “Stand Up and Fight for the Safety and Wellness of our Diverse Community.”
Sincerely,
John T. Langell
President