Center for African Studies response to April 13th, 2018 incident involving Harvard Undergraduate student from Africa

April 19, 2018

Center for African Studies response to April 13th, 2018 incident involving Harvard Undergraduate student from Africa

Harvard President Drew Faust recently wrote that “…the intellectual fruits of a community’s inner diversity do not harvest themselves. To gain the benefit of diversity, Harvard must fully integrate all members of the University into academic, professional, and social contexts that support their individual flourishing and activate their potential.” The Center for African Studies supports this goal by serving as a refuge and a resource for African students across all of Harvard’s schools, celebrating their achievements, and advocating on their behalf in times of crisis. We share the view that Harvard must redouble its efforts to make the University a safe and welcoming home for students from an increasingly wide range of circumstances, places, identities, and backgrounds. Towards this end, the Center is launching the CAS Student Forum, an informal gathering where students can discuss current events and their experiences at Harvard. On Friday April 20th, the inaugural forum will broach the topic: “Being African in America.” The history and lessons of race must inform the lived realities of African students and students of African descent at Harvard.

Respectfully,

Harvard University Center for African Studies