Land Acknowledgement for Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson
Developed in Cooperation with the Stockbridge-Munsee Community
In the spirit of truth and equity, it is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are gathered on the sacred homelands of the Munsee and Muhheaconneok people, who are the original stewards of this land. Today, due to forced removal, the community resides in Northeast Wisconsin and is known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community. We honor and pay respect to their ancestors past and present, as well as to Future generations and we recognize their continuing presence in their homelands. We understand that our acknowledgement requires those of us who are settlers to recognize our own place in and responsibilities towards addressing inequity, and that this ongoing and challenging work requires that we commit to real engagement with the Munsee and Mohican communities to build an inclusive and equitable space for all.
Land Acknowledgement for Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson
From Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of the College
Please join me in thanking Christian Ayne Crouch, Associate Professor of Historical Studies and Director of Bard's American Studies Program as well as incoming Dean of Graduate Studies, for her path breaking work in concert with Heather Breugl, Cultural Affairs Director of the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, to develop language for a land acknowledgement for use here at Bard Annandale. This culminates a process begun by Professor Crouch and Ariana González Stokas, former Dean of Inclusive Excellence, with Bonney Hartley, Historic Preservation Manager for the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
As Professor Crouch has reminded us in recent conversations about territorial acknowledgments, Bard is committed to seeking meaningful, ongoing dialogue with the Stockbridge Munsee Community and mutual engagement as modeled in the formulation of this statement.
To learn more about the past and present story of the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians see: mohican.com/?url=our-history.
Land acknowledgements are a first step in equity work with Native communities and require forethought and care as to how they are stated and integrated into text and events here at Bard. The Center for Faculty and Curricular Development (CFCD) will host an event early in the spring semester to discuss the history, application of, and best practices in use of land/territorial acknowledgements by faculty and can provide guidance to faculty leading up to this event as well. Both CFCD and the Council for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) are developing resources for community use for individuals interested in further, continuing engagement. Dean of Inclusive Excellence Kahan Sablo, Director of Inclusive Pedagogy and Curriculum Michael Sadowski, and Myra Young Armstead, Lyford Paterson Edwards and Helen Gray Edwards Professor of Historical Studies and Vice President for Academic Inclusive, should also be recognized for their time and expertise in support of this important work.
With gratitude and respect,
Deirdre d'Albertis Dean of the College
December 7, 2020
Bard's Response to the Verdict in the Chauvin Case
A Message from President Botstein
A Message from President Botstein about the Verdict in the Chauvin Case
“This week a Minnesota jury handed down guilty verdicts to former police officer Derek Chauvin in the case of George Floyd. Let us hope that this marks the start of a new era that brings to an end the long-standing racism in our criminal justice system, including our police departments, courts, and prisons. The recent verdict demonstrates the need for accountability and justice in all the tragic acts of violence that have occurred since George Floyd's death, including the police killing of Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio on the very day the Chauvin verdicts were delivered. We must reduce the violence and cruelty that inhabit America's systems of policing and criminal justice. But to bring racism to an end we must learn compassion and empathy; we must practice inclusion.” —President Botstein
Many on Bard's campus have come forward to offer support for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students as our community struggles to respond to the tragic events of March 16. Many staff and faculty members are offering special office hours for students to voice their thoughts and concerns in a supportive space. You may also join events with the Bard Chaplaincy, including prayer services and meditation, or reach out to the chaplains for support at chaplaincy@bard.edu. The Bard Counseling Serviceoffers Let's Talk drop-in counseling on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, as well as scheduled teletherapy sessions. Visit their website for details or email counselingservice@bard.edu. We encourage you to draw on your support networks and the many resources at Bard during these challenging times.
A Message from President Botstein
President Botstein's Letter to the Community about the Murders in Atlanta
“The challenges created by the coronavirus have disproportionately affected the poor and underrepresented communities across the nation. There has also been a dramatic rise in discrimination, harassment, and violence against people of Asian heritage. The killing of eight people in Georgia this week, six of whom were Asian women, is a terrifying reminder of the persistence of a deep prejudice in America directed at people of Asian descent that dates back to the 19th century. The tragedy in Atlanta also mirrors much more recent racist rhetoric that has scapegoated the Asian community regarding COVID-19.”
Statement on Recent Violence against Asian American Communities
The Bard College Center for Civic Engagement wishes to express its grief and anger at the murder of eight people in Georgia last week, six of whom were Asian women, and to unambiguously condemn the racism, xenophobia, scapegoating, and misogyny that are at the root of these murders. We mourn the losses and stand in solidarity with the Asian and Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) communities at Bard, their families, and with those who are working towards a just and equitable country—especially students, staff, faculty, and alumni/ae of the Bard community and network.
The Fisher Center at Bard, Bard Music Festival, The Orchestra Now (TŌN), Bard College Conservatory of Music, and US-China Music Institute work as partners on the Bard College campus. The Fisher Center endeavors through its mission to provide a home for the programs, Bard students, faculty, staff, and our shared audiences.
Today, we unite to condemn all acts of racism, violence, sexism, and xenophobia perpetrated against AAPI (Asian-American and Pacific Islander) communities.
Please join us in these efforts toward justice and healing for AAPI communities.
Bard's Response to the Killing of Unarmed Black Individuals
Candlelight vigil at Bard in memory of Michael Brown, August 2014.
Photo by Claire Debost ’18
A Message to the College Community from President Botstein
May 31, 2020 Words cannot properly express the anger, sadness and despair each of us feels at the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, the killing, by two civilians, of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick Georgia, and the murder, once again by officers sworn to uphold the law, of Breonna Taylor, in Louisville, Kentucky. The victims were all black; the perpetrators were all white.
On behalf of the entire Bard College community, I want to express our solidarity with all who grieve for the deaths, with all who live in constant fear of the brutality of racial discrimination, and with all who find themselves without hope in these dark and violent times.
Manor Gatehouse, Center for Civic Engagement.
Photo by Chris Kendall ’82
A Statement from the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College
June 6, 2020 “While our efforts span the globe, we recognize that work starts at home: there are structural societal inequities that need to be addressed in the United States, including at Bard and in the communities in which Bard and the Bard College network operate.”
We, the Chaplains of Bard College, are horrified by the news of the unjust killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody. As religious leaders of the Bard Community, we are committed to standing up against any forms of racism that attempt to corrode our community and our nation. Our grief and compassion are also compounded by the disproportionate number of deaths of black persons from the COVID 19 virus. The callous disregard for black lives in the US is exposed again and again in the continuing inequities in health care, economic opportunity, and law enforcement for people of color.
Chaplaincy
We, the Chaplains of Bard College, are horrified by the news of the unjust killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody. As religious leaders of the Bard Community, we are committed to standing up against any forms of racism that attempt to corrode our community and our nation. Our grief and compassion are also compounded by the disproportionate number of deaths of black persons from the COVID 19 virus. The callous disregard for black lives in the US is exposed again and again in the continuing inequities in health care, economic opportunity, and law enforcement for people of color.
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, The Most Rev. Michael Curry, who faced his own terror of racism growing up black in Buffalo, NY, recently made this statement to the press regarding the murder of George Floyd: “This crisis reflects deep sores and deep wounds that have been here all along. In the midst of COVID-19 and the pressure cooker of a society in turmoil, a man was brutally killed. The basic human right to life was taken away. His basic human dignity was stripped by someone charged to protect our common humanity. And perhaps the deeper pain of this is the fact that it’s not an isolated incident. The pain of this is that it’s a deep part of our life. It’s not just our history. It is American society today. We are not, however, slaves to our fate, unless we choose to do nothing. … Opening and changing hearts does not happen overnight. Our prayers and our work for justice, healing and truth-telling must be unceasing.”
For those who would like to take action now we invite you to visit the website: www.justiceforbigfloyd.com.
We continue to hold our Bard community in our prayers and thoughts. Your chaplains are available to you throughout the summer if you would like to meet with us and talk about this crisis.
May God’s blessing be upon us all.
The Rev. Mary Grace Williams Rabbi David Nelson Nora Zaki Joris Sankai Lemmens
Chaplain of the College Associate Chaplain Muslim Chaplain Buddhist Chaplain
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).
Furthermore, in the Torah, God says, ""Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." - Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:1 (22a)
God is clear in the Qur'an about standing up for justice for ANY HUMAN BEING in chapter 4, verse 135 "O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed God is ever, with what you do, Acquainted."
"Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.” (Quote from the Buddha)
Counseling
We, the Bard Counseling staff, want to add our voices in expressing grief, sorrow and compassion to all those who have been impacted by the race-based tragedies that have been occurring across our nation. These tragedies reflect a longstanding and entrenched history of structural and systemic injustice that we condemn and are dedicated to addressing. We believe that intolerance, hatred and institutional racism have no place in our community or our nation.
Counseling
We, the Bard Counseling staff, want to add our voices in expressing grief, sorrow and compassion to all those who have been impacted by the race-based tragedies that have been occurring across our nation. These tragedies reflect a longstanding and entrenched history of structural and systemic injustice that we condemn and are dedicated to addressing. We believe that intolerance, hatred and institutional racism have no place in our community or our nation.
While these tragedies can be traumatizing for all of us, we recognize that they may be especially injurious to members of our Black and African-American community. As mental health professionals and members of a diverse and caring college community, we stand in solidarity with the people of color in our community and across the nation.
We at Stevenson Library share the community's outrage and grief at the murder of George Floyd and too many other African Americans at the hands of police. As we grapple with a way forward as a community and a nation, we'd like to offer this Antiracism Research Guide as a pathfinder for resources on anti-racism and racial justice. This link is posted on the library's homepage.
Library
We at Stevenson Library share the community's outrage and grief at the murder of George Floyd and too many other African Americans at the hands of police. As we grapple with a way forward as a community and a nation, we'd like to offer this Antiracism Research Guide as a pathfinder for resources on anti-racism and racial justice. This link is posted on the library's homepage.
We are continually adding resources to the guide, so please feel free to send feedback and suggestions to me, or to the guide's author Alexa Murphy (amurphy@bard.edu).
I hope you and everyone in your circle is safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Betsy Cawley
Director of Libraries
Wellness
The Peer Health and Wellness Education Department firmly stands in solidarity with the collective vision to end systemic oppression. Our hearts are broken as we continue to see injustice and violence spread across the country. Our hearts are also filled with hope, as we witness the power of unity, community, connection, love, and understanding.
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Are Precious Black Lives Are Needed Black Lives Are Loved
Wellness
The Peer Health and Wellness Education Department firmly stands in solidarity with the collective vision to end systemic oppression. Our hearts are broken as we continue to see injustice and violence spread across the country. Our hearts are also filled with hope, as we witness the power of unity, community, connection, love, and understanding.
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Are Precious Black Lives Are Needed Black Lives Are Loved
It is more important than ever for us to ground ourselves firmly in our bodies and let our truth guide our actions. We can do this effectively when we increase our awareness, utilize our internal and external resources well, lean on each other for support, and take the time to slow down to look within. Let's put our well being at the forefront of our minds by integrating self-care into our daily activities. There is much pain, grief, and trauma we are holding in our hearts. We invite you to take the time you need to honor your experience and heal from these wounds.
If you are interested in having more tools to explore and defeat prejudice in society and in yourself, we encourage you to delve into the following resource from the Greater Good in Action.
To help you stay grounded and well, we invite you to take a few minutes to review the attached resources: SCOPE Safety Aid and a Trauma-Informed and Crisis Care Resource Guide, whose goal is to "help you process and move through whatever is coming up so that you can be the best leaders, strategists, family members, partners you can be in this radically transforming and painful time."
Please know that many college support services continue to be offered during this time. I am available remotely to help you make a self-care action plan via zoom. If you would like to channel your energy into fitness, we encourage you to contact our Community Fitness Coordinator at tstevenson@bard.edu or visit fitness.bard.edu for updates. If you need more support counselors are also available.
Peer Health and Wellness look forward to working together to create a healthier, equitable community for all in the fall of 2020 and beyond.
Yours in health,
Annia Reyes Director of Health and Wellness Education
Call for Submissions
In the Moment
As we all grieve the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Jones, and as we all participate in various ways in calls for justice and equal treatment of black people by our police systems, Professor Myra Young Armstead invites members of the Bard community to contribute thoughts and perspectives on these issues to a new series, In the Moment. Please send contributions—brief essays, journalistic reflections, personal stories, poetry, and the like—to armstead@bard.edu.