Date: January 23, 2023
To: The Campus Community
From: Timothy E. Sams, President
RE: Thoughts After Saturday's Lunar New Year Shooting
Dear SUNY Old Westbury Community,
On Friday, I went home with a sense of joy after having vibrant discussions with colleagues about their Lunar New Year celebrations. I awoke Sunday morning to the tragic news of yet another mass shooting during Saturday night's Lunar New Year Celebrations in Monterey, California where 10 people were killed and 10 wounded. The feeling of loss that overcomes our community, as we mourn in solidarity with Asian and Asian American brothers and sisters, is great.
Though we do not know the killer’s motive(s), we are clear that Saturday night’s events must be understood through the prism of seemingly endless violence. The terror that results from these moments is paralyzing and shakes sensible and caring people to their core. This is especially the case when considering the timing of these murders (Lunar New Year), with a backdrop of dramatic growth in violence toward our Asian and Asian American communities. OW’s vast diversity suggests that many in our community understand all too well this bone rattling terror that results from these heinous events.
Our traditional responses feel inadequate and forces us to question our ability to stop this violence. As so many who have traveled the long and arduous social justice trail have said, WE CAN NOT GIVE UP AND WE MUST KEEP THE FAITH! We must be unwavering in our commitment to equity and social justice. At the same time, we will continue to support the well-being of our students, while inspiring and supporting their activism and efforts. I continue to ask you to persist in upholding what Martin Luther King, Jr. called a “Beloved Community,” remain engaged in grappling with the injustices of the world and work to condemn violence and all expressions of intolerance.
As we at SUNY Old Westbury stand with so many others in solidarity, we do so believing that only together can we make the world a better place. I am reminded of the phrase “Tuko Pamoja,” which in Swahili means “We are together.” It represents the notion that while we may all come from various walks of life, we have a shared purpose, that is to live in a free, democratic and just society.
For SUNY Old Westbury students wishing to access mental health support please contact: 516-876-3053 or counselingcenter@oldwestbury.edu.
For others seeking support please contact:
In solidarity, Timothy E. Sams
President, SUNY Old Westbury