The UF Astronomy Department would like to add our voice to the recent message from UF President Fuchs in condemning racism, injustice, and hate. The deadly violence in the last weeks experienced by unarmed Black people have deeply disturbed, angered and frightened many of us. We know that the disproportionate use of force and violence against people of color, including by law enforcement, is an ongoing reality in America. These events affect our community directly. Many Black astronomers in this country are suffering at this moment. We express our unequivocal revulsion toward these acts, which are just one facet of systemic racism. As a department, we affirm our commitment to ensure the inclusion, support, and safety of every Black person and person of color in astronomy, including our colleagues and students here at UF. By stating our support, we are refusing to dismiss the suffering of those affected as if it were unrelated to us. The work needed toward making a just community, free from hate and racial inequality, may take many forms. We commit to undertaking that mission.
Signed,
UF Astronomy Faculty:
Elizabeth A. Lada Anthony Gonzalez Steve Eikenberry Desika Narayanan
Sarah Ballard Rana Ezzeddine Adam Ginsburg Rafael Guzman
Naibi Marinas Francisco Reyes Paul Sell Zachary Slepian
Charles Telesco Paul Torrey Bo Zhao
UF Astronomy Affiliate Faculty
Laura Blecha Katia Matcheva
UF Astronomy Emeritus Faculty:
Howard Cohen Stanley Dermott George Lebo
UF Astronomy Staff
Greg Bennett Matt Glover Fran Green Meghan Gertsch
Frank Varosi Craig Warner
UF Astronomy Graduate Students:
Quadry Chance Chenxing Dong Karolina Garcia Prerak Garg
Amy Gottlieb Desmond Jeff Sarik Jeram Qi Li
Sidney Lower Genevieve Markees Theo Richardson Jonah Rose
Billy Schap Khunanon Thongkham
UF Astronomy and Astrophysics Undergraduate Majors:
Riccardo Ansaldi Kristina Berkova Nina Brown Deal Derod
Madeline Hall Veema Jhagru Isabelle Jones Diana Lutz
Kiersten Meigs Malavika Nair Briana Rosa Urja Shah
Pae Swanson Kaite Teixeira Daniel Warshofsky Yan Zhou
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