Stanford Center for African Studies Statement of Solidarity

We write to share a public statement of solidarity made by the Center for African Studies at Stanford.

The Center for African Studies cannot ignore  the suffering, death and devastation that results from racism and police brutality. We stand in solidarity with our Black students, staff, and faculty at CAS and at Stanford more widely. We offer never- ending, never- yielding support to Black individuals and communities, both near and far, who are assaulted by the atrocities of systemic racism. 

We painfully acknowledge that the traumatic experiences of many Black individuals never make the headlines and their stories are never widely heard. With heavy hearts, we hear the agonizing weight of a daily fight for life and justice, and the trauma and grief being carried by our Black community members. 

Condemning centuries of appalling violence is not enough. The pace of transformation has been unacceptably slow. CAS vows to listen, learn, speak out, and stand up against racial injustice, commiting to anti-racism as foundational to our work and all that we do.

CAS is committed to creating a more just and equitable world where Black lives are afforded the utmost dignity, respect and care. 

Black lives matter. 

The Center for African Studies, Stanford