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CN: anti-black violence, death, police violence

As your Students’ Union we stand firmly and completely against racism. We also know that our Universities are not free from racism, and that it is not a uniquely American phenomenon. In the UK, black students disproportionately suffer physical and verbal abuse at University, black people are repeatedly killed in police custody, and only a few weeks ago a black woman, Belly Mujunga, died from Coronavirus after being spat on at Victoria Station. We stand in full solidarity with all those protesting racism, in the UK, America and across the world, now and always.

It is the responsibility of every single non-black person to speak out and act against racism wherever we see it, to actively learn about and counter our own racism, and to support those affected by racism by campaigning against it. It should not be the job of black students to justify or explain their experiences of racism. All white people benefit from systems of institutionalised racism and white supremacy, and must do all that they can to dismantle them.

As the Cambridge SU BME Campaign has highlighted: “Silence is complicity - show your support and break the silence.”

If you can donate to funds supporting those protesting in the US, make sure you do - there are links in the BME Campaign’s post (compiled in this document).

 

READ THE BME STATEMENT IN FULL

 

UPDATE:

The BME Campaign have written an open letter to address what we perceive to be the inadequate response of Cambridge University and Colleges following the murders of Black individuals, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, to name but a few. We urge all those who too believe this is an issue to demonstrate their support in signing our open letter. Silence must be called out, and releasing statements without future action must be viewed as plainly superficial and performative. Our letter details constructive steps that can be undertaken across the University and Colleges, to ensure that a willingness for both structural reform and cultural change to tackle Racism continues into the future, and not just in the aftermath of death. We expect the University and Colleges to do better, and if you do too, then please sign.

 

J/MCR BLM Donations CampAign

One of the main ways we can show our support for antiracism right now is to donate to bail funds, organisations and charities campaigning to support Black people and counter racism, both in the US and the UK. The idea is that each College’s J/MCR takes a different fund to donate to, whether that’s encouraging individual students to donate, making group donations or contacting alumni and other College funds. Let’s see which J/MCR team can raise the most money! 

Make sure your J/MCR has also signed and shared the BME Campaign’s open letter to the University and Colleges. UK students can also write to their MPs, and students in the US can contact their representatives and call or email via this link. There are also many petitions to sign. For more ways to take action see this list and this document. 

See below for: 

  1. A list of J/MCRs with their donation link; a link to a letter to send; and a link to a petition to fill out

  2. A template social media post

 

J/MCR Donate to Email/Letter Petition
Christ’s UK Black Lives Matter fund  

Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you.

 Justice for Belly Mujinga petition
Churchill Inquest UK

Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here.

 Free Siyanda petition
Clare LA Action Bail Fund Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here Petition to Police Scotland demanding an investigation into the death of Sheku Bayoh, who died in police custody soon after his detention on Sunday 3 May
Clare Hall Columbus Freedom Fund Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. Petition: Compel US states to review and amend Police Union Contracts, so that officers can be held accountable to incidents of misconduct and abuse of position
Corpus Atlanta Solidarity Fund Write to Joshua Williams, who was 18 when he was arrested during the Ferguson uprisings for lighting a trash can on fire. Petition: UK Govt to suspend the export of arms and riot gear to the US
Darwin UK Black Lives Matter fund Email your MP demanding justice for Shukri Abdi, including for a robust accountability response to the safeguarding failures of Hazel Wood High School; an inquiry into Greater Manchester Police's investigation into Shukri's death; and for Shukri's treatment in life to inform the formulation and implementation of humane policy towards asylum seekers and immigrants. Email template here. Free Siyanda petition
Downing Brooklyn Community Bail Fund Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. Justice for Shukri Abdi petition
Emmanuel Black Lives Matter Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. Justice for Breonna Taylor petition
Fitzwilliam Black Visions Collective Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here Justice for Tony McDade petition
Girton UK National Memorial Family Fund Write to Joshua Williams, who was 18 when he was arrested during the Ferguson uprisings for lighting a trash can on fire. Petition to the Governor of Texas to reopen the criminal investigation into the death of Sandra Bland
Gonville and Caius North Health Star Collective Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here Petition to UK Parliament: Improve maternal mortality rates and healthcare for Black women
Homerton Reclaim the Block Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. Justice for George Floyd
Hughes Hall 4 Front Project Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. Petition to UK Parliament: Introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting
Jesus Black LGBTQIA+ Therapy Fund Write to Joshua Williams, who was 18 when he was arrested during the Ferguson uprisings for lighting a trash can on fire. Justice for Ahmuad petition 
King’s Black and Pink Bail Fund Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here Justice for Breonna Taylor petition
Lucy Cavendish Black People’s Justice Fund - Metro Phoenix Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here Pass the Georgia Hate Crime Law
Magdalene Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee Bail Fund Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. Justice for Regis Korchinski-Paquet petition
Murray Edwards Donate towards the costs of legal advisors and trained observers providing free counsel to attendees at the BLM UK protests and marches. Email your MP demanding justice for Shukri Abdi, including for a robust accountability response to the safeguarding failures of Hazel Wood High School; an inquiry into Greater Manchester Police's investigation into Shukri's death; and for Shukri's treatment in life to inform the formulation and implementation of humane policy towards asylum seekers and immigrants. Email template here. Free Siyanda petition
Newnham  

Fundraiser for Belly Mujinga’s family

Black Minds Matter UK

 Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. Justice for Belly Mujinga petition
Pembroke San Diego Bail Fund Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here Free Siyanda petition
Peterhouse Colorado Bail Fund Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. Justice for Tony McDade
Queens’  

Runnymede Trust

 Email your MP with Amnesty’s template letter  

Medics Petition
Robinson Justice for Emanuel Gomes fundraiser. Emanuel was a cleaner at the Ministry of Justice, who died from suspected COVID-19 after being forced to work while ill. His union's demands for PPE, a Living Wage and sick pay were not met, making the workplace an unsafe environment. Donate towards the costs of repatriating his body and his funeral. Email your MP demanding justice for Shukri Abdi, including for a robust accountability response to the safeguarding failures of Hazel Wood High School; an inquiry into Greater Manchester Police's investigation into Shukri's death; and for Shukri's treatment in life to inform the formulation and implementation of humane policy towards asylum seekers and immigrants. Email template here. Justice for Shukri Abdi petition
Selwyn Florida Protestor Support Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. Justice For Joao Pedro
Sidney Sussex Chicago Community Bond Fund Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. Justice for Julius Jones
St Catharine’s Memorial Fund for Tony McDade Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. Justice for Willie Simmons
St Edmund’s Louisville Community Bail Fund Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. Ban the use of rubber bullets for crowd control
St John’s Breonna Taylor Memorial Fund Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here.

Justice for Tamir Rice
Trinity Reclaim the Block Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. Justice for Andile Mchunu
Trinity Hall FANG Community Bail Fund Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. Justice for Belly Mujinga petition
Wolfson Trans Emergency Release Fund Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. Justice for George Floyd

 

TEMPLATE SOCIAL MEDIA POST

 

As a J/MCR we stand in full solidarity with those protesting against racism across the world. We know that one of the key material ways we can show this support at the moment is by donating. That’s why we’re joining in with the cross-J/MCR Black Lives Matter Donations Campaign!

 

We’re donating to [insert cause/charity and brief description from table above] 

 

  • DONATE HERE: [insert link] and post a screenshot of your donation with this challenge and our college name, encouraging those who can to match your donation, or comment how much you’ve donated below this post!. Let’s show our support and turn out as a community to raise money. You can also watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgLa25fDHM (make sure you’ve turned off ad blockers!) to donate for free!
  • Once you’ve donated, or if you aren’t able to donate, make sure you’ve signed this petition [insert petition and description], and written/emailed [insert details here]. Another way to easily email your representatives is by using this website: http://write-for-changes.herokuapp.com/ (make sure to fill in your name and address so it doesn’t get marked as spam!)
  • UK students can also write to their MPs, and American students can contact their representatives and call or email via this link. For more ways to take action see this list and this document.

 

LET’S GO! #CambridgeCollegesDonate