June 5, 2020
On behalf of the Department of Radio-Television-Film, I would like to add our collective voice to the chorus of outrage, grief, and despair expressed over the killing of George Floyd. Together we mourn his death, as we do the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many others who came before them. We state unequivocally, and with unwavering conviction, that Black Lives Matter. We recognize further how the Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the glaring racial and economic inequities, as reflected in the disproportionate number of cases and casualties in communities of color. We stand by our students and our colleagues who are subjected to these and other forms of systemic racism, discrimination, and violence. We remain committed to upholding, defending, and preserving equal rights for all people in our community and in society at large. The Department of Radio-Television-Film will continue to serve as a safe, diverse, and inclusive home for all those engaged in the common pursuit of creative and scholarly expression through the cinematic arts and media studies.
In friendship and solidarity,
Noah Isenberg, RTF Professor and Chair