Statement in support of BLM

The tragic killings of Black men and women in the US and across the world continue unabated despite the graphic evidence provided by the widespread circulation of citizen cell phone camera footage. The Art Department is publicly releasing this statement in solidarity with the Black community. We do not condone the innumerable targeted acts of violence perpetrated disproportionately on Black people and other minorities by those entrusted with enforcing the law or by any other parties. These killings have gone on long enough without foundational change. Art continues to have a significant role to play in fighting injustice and pushing for positive change. The Department of Art at UCSB offers our unanimous support for the Black Lives Matter movement. We are not in a position to speak for the Black community, but refer readers to the statement released by the Department of Black Studies here.

Santa Barbara’s branch of Black Lives Matter have posted a list of demands that contains action items we can all get behind right now.