Dear Community, We witness, yet again, the senseless and brutal murder of a Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of police officers in the city of Minneapolis. The Middle East/South Asia Studies Program unequivocally and categorically condemns this racist and violent act. We stand with the family and friends of George Floyd and with all those who feel the pain and anguish of this outrageous and tragic incident. We stand in support of the human rights and human dignity of our Black brothers and sisters, and of all people of color. We live in a society in which far too many people continue to be marginalized and discriminated against in the most dehumanizing ways by the color of their skin. Many members of our academic community, undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty, have suffered from racism and police violence, directly or indirectly. Many who are taking part in the current peaceful protests and demonstrations are confronting renewed forms of police repression and violence, which are likely to cause further trauma and distress. We extend our empathy and solidarity to them, and to their friends and family, especially in this time of a global pandemic, which has already resulted in widespread economic and social dislocation, affecting in unfair and unequal measure the lives of poor people and people of color. We recognize the difficult and dire circumstances ​our students face at this moment. We pledge to do all that is in our power to support their continued education and solemnly resolve to stand with them. We reaffirm our commitment to justice, equality, and diversity. We condemn all forms of racism, and racial and religious hatred. UC Davis Middle East/South Asia Studies Program Students looking for support or other information about campus resources established to work with students experiencing stress can start at the Office of Student Support or Student Health Care Services. Resources for racial trauma, the dedicated moment of silence led by Vice Chancellor Tull, and Chancellor May’s statement can be found here: https://diversity.ucdavis.edu/resources-racial-trauma