06/18/2015
Last night, a white gunman entered Emmanuel AME Church, a historic Black church and opened gunfire, ending nine innocent lives. This white supremacist announced to the crowd that he was there, "to kill Black people.”
The victims:
Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45, mother of three, reverend, and high school track coach.
Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41, was also a state senator in South Carolina.
Cynthia Hurd, 54, worked at the public library for 31 years and was serving as the manager at St. Andrews Regional Library since 2011.
Twanza Sanders, a 26-year-old recent graduate of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, and had most recently been working at a barber shop.
Myra Thompson, 59, was the wife of reverend Anthony Thomspon, who is a vicar at Holy Trinity REC.
Daniel L. Simmons, 74, was a ministerial staff member at the church.
Ethel Lee Lance, 70, had worked at the church for more than 30 years.
Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor, 49, a minister and a mother of four daughters. She sang in the church’s choir and spoke at the pulpit with Rev. Pinckney, the Post and Courier reported.
Susie Jackson, 87, was a member of the Eastern Light Chapter No. 360 Order of the Eastern Star, according to a community activist on Twitter.
The UTSU is both deeply saddened, horrified and angered by this blatant act of racism. This act of terrorism is a mere indication of the repulsive reality of racism and discrimination that rampantly exists within North America-- one that especially forges injustices on Black lives. We must take it upon ourselves to look into the lives of people like Walter Scott, Kaleif Browder, Renisha McBride, and the countless other victims of systematic and overt racism and not let their lives end in vain. It is our moral obligation as human beings that we actively challenge the various levels of racism that pervade our minds, our communities, our campus, our city and our nation.
To all those students who belong to the Black community and are suffering, the UTSU stands in solidarity with you. If there is any way we can be of service to your mind or soul, please do not hesitate to come by VP Equity Sania Khan's office in order to channel your feelings, thoughts, emotions.
With peace, love, and light,
The UTSU Executive
