Message to Students

June 4, 2020

To the members of our GW Geography & Environmental Studies community, particularly our students,

We are writing today in sadness and solidarity. We have been following the protests across the country (and down the street) in response to the most recent acts of violence against the Black community.  We echo the message of these protests: Black lives matter.

Historically, Geographers have contributed significantly to understanding the causes and spatial dimensions of injustice, racism, and inequity in our country and the world. At the same time, Geography, like many other academic disciplines, has been dominated by white faces and voices.  Black and indigenous scholars are subjected to racism while working at field sites, at meetings, in labs and classrooms, and in life. We must do more to fight structural and societal injustices, and we must start in our own community. 

Our department is known on campus as a warm and welcoming place; one where students can feel recognized as individuals. But we are certainly not immune from the issues that affect our fields of study, our University, or society at large. As our department continues to grow it is important to us, the faculty, to reinforce our commitment to supporting and mentoring our students of color. We value your presence in our department and our classes. We also confirm our commitment to use our voices and privilege to fight against racism, oppression, and injustice across our country and our campus.

Vice Provost Laguerre-Brown has shared a message from her office here, which includes links to relevant university resources. We also welcome your thoughts and messages about how we can better advocate for you and support you. 

In Solidarity,
The Geography Faculty