Wall of Solidarity
Nazareth students, faculty, and staff, thank you for your continued commitment to creating an anti-racist and socially-just community. We share these messages of support to show our compassion and care and to uplift our Naz community, especially our students.
Muhammad Shafiq, faculty: "Racial/Ethnic superiority, materialistic greed, and religious exclusivity along with some other elements may cause the fire of arrogance and hate destroying oneself and the surroundings. Compassion (Rahm), Moderation (`adl/wasat) and Humility (Tawadu`) are the prophetic jewels to extinguish the fire.
Terri Stewart, staff: "Let us open our hearts to peace and healing among all people. May we speak the truth, listen with an open mind, and know when peace can be found in silence."
Clare, staff: I love Maya Angelou's words, "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color."
Hilda Chacón, faculty
- President Beth Paul: " We are a learning community that was founded to journey toward humanity and justice. We walk forward – with active commitment – and in solidarity with our students and colleagues of color. We see, hear, respect, and support our community of color who contribute so much toward our collective good."
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Stephanie Smyth, staff: "Listening to someone is the most compassionate thing a person can do."
Dawn Vogler-Elias, faculty: "At Naz, it is our responsibility to be the thinkers so that we can create change and continue to move toward an accessible and equitable learning community for all!"
Deb Winslow-Schaber, staff: "I am so proud to be part of the Nazareth community to say, I stand in solidarity to support and work toward racial justice and an equitable community. The time is ripe to do right."
"We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
Heather Acomb, faculty: "Sub Ek... All One... We are all in this together."
Andrea Talentino, staff: "Napoleon said that 'courage is not having the strength to go on, it is going on when you don't have strength.' You are making a difference every day, through advocacy, purpose, intelligence, and grace. Our society is starting to see what it always chose not to see. Thank you for that, and for holding me and others to account."
- The Emergent Strategies Changemaker Group of Nazareth faculty and staff: "As a predominantly white college (PWI), Nazareth has yet to fully address bias and institutional racism and the resulting harm which continues to affect all of our students, staff and faculty on a daily basis. We strive to do so. We understand that injustice on our campus is both reflective and reproductive of injustice in our society, and we are committed to its undoing at our College and in our communities. We are listening, we work to understand, and we commit to act.
Dr. King is also attributed with the quote “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” We encourage our community to stay vocal. Please add your voice."
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - MLK
Kristina Martin, staff: "We can all create change."
Jamie Fazio, staff: "Thank you for being living witnesses to truth and freedom. Be sure to care for yourself as you care for others. The spirit of Nazareth founders walk with you."
"In the end, it's the reality of personal relationships that save everything." - Thomas Merton
- Nadia Mullin, staff: "Injustice can't be unseen and so the work for liberation can never cease. You are loved, you are seen, and the work goes on."
“Indeed our survival and liberation depend upon our recognition of the truth when it is spoken and lived by the people. If we cannot recognize the truth, then it cannot liberate us from untruth.[...]Truth is divine action entering our lives and creating the human action of liberation.” - James H. Cone
Aldi Priyanto, staff: "It is our responsibility to uplift, empower, and support one another with compassion. We will continue to hear you, making sure you are heard, and to push until all of our voices are represented and heard. We all deserve to belong. We all deserve to be heard. We all deserve to live authentically in peace. We all deserve love."
Tara Winner-Swete, staff: "We see YOU, we are listening to YOU, we support YOU!"
Sisters of St. Joseph stand with our sisters and brothers as Elders and Allies, because all lives don't truly matter, until Black lives matter!
Amanda Witherell, student: "You are worthy and you are valued. Black lives matter."
Julie Kunisch, faculty: "Accountability is a step in the right direction for social justice but we still have so much more work to do."
Chris Baudo, staff: "We will always be allies in creating an expectation of social justice and equity for all those who are oppressed within our community, our country and world."
Cuthbert Rowland-Storm, staff
"The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in." - James Baldwin
- Trish Annese, faculty: "Together we are strong and broad-minded and wise."
"The entire earth is my homeland and the human family is my clan. For I have found human beings to be weak, and it is small-minded for them to divide themselves up; the earth is cramped, so that only ignorance leads people to partition it into realms and principalities." - Kahlil Gibran
Jen Canning, staff: "We will continue the work together in our journey towards racial justice. We see you, we support you, and we are here for you."
"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free." - Maya Angelou
- Kim DiCamillo, staff: "We can overcome. Together."
- "Change often starts with the smallest of whispers. Like-minded people building it up to a roar... Hate is loud, but I think you'll learn it's because it's only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you're not alone, you will overcome." T.J. Klune.
- Liz Cronin, staff: "I am deeply grateful to our community members who were extraordinarily brave this year fighting for social justice. With this work often came additional pain, grief, and exhaustion. Nazareth will be a better place because of your work, your voices, your advocacy, and your leadership. You are holding us all accountable. You matter, your voice matters, and I hope our imperfect striving will bring the systemic changes we need. You light our way. Thank you."
- "There is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it." - Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb“
- Cheryl Johnson, faculty
Vicky Gebel, staff: "Each one of you brings a special spark to our community. From the residence halls to the classrooms, Nazareth is made better by your presence. It is our privilege in Residential Life to work with you and for you. We are committed to being partners on the journey to demand racial justice."
Hilda Chacón, faculty
Kathy Hansen, staff
"If you love your community, then you need to be insisting on justice in all circumstances." - Bryan Stevenson
- Adam Lewandowski, staff: We all need to make some noise when we see injustice, when we communicate our vision for what the world can and should be. Together we will create a world of justice, with actions each day that honor each other as the beautiful humans that we all are.
- "So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise." -Malcolm X
Jazzmyn Ivery-Robinson, staff
Tonya Guzman, staff: "Advocate, Support, Challenge until there is justice for BIPOC. There is no justice until there is accountability. Support H.R.7120 George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020."
"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people" - MLK
FCUE and UTOPP Advisory Board Members
Laura Poleshuck, faculty
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” - Nelson Mandela
- Isabel Cordova, faculty
- "I was my own route
- I wanted to be like men wanted me to be:
- an attempt at life;
- a game of hide and seek with my being.
- But I was made of nows,
- and my feet level on the promissory earth
- would not accept walking backwards
- …
- At each advancing step on my route forward
- my back was ripped by the desperate flapping wings of the old guard.
- …
- Already my course now set in the present,
- I felt myself a blossom of all the soils of the earth."
- -Julia de Burgos, “Yo Misma Fui Mi Ruta"
- Kim Harvey, staff: "We have much to learn, and much to accomplish. To study in the twenty-first century is to not only learn more about who we are, but to acknowledge the stories of people who have been silenced and excluded in our studies. Their voices matter. Your voices matter. You are valued. You are seen. You belong. Moving forward I hope our campus can continue to be a safe place of connection for people and ideas. In solidarity, my door (Shults 100) is always open for all."
Madi Wickens, student: "No justice, no peace."
-
Patricia Lepel, staff: "I am just so, so impressed with of all of you who took the challenges of this past year and truly turned them into triumph! Look at what so many of ~you~ amazing members of our Nazareth Community have done for each other and for ourselves- so much purposeful learning and gathering and supporting, you are amazing! I am so grateful to be a part of this community and look forward to our progress together. The work continues!"
Dr. DJ, staff: "To our students: Keep hope and strength as we work to create an equitable future for all. Your strength inspires me!"
"I've learned no matter what happened or how bad it seems today, life goes on and it will be better tomorrow." - Maya Angelou
Emily Marchese, staff: "Don't lose faith that WE can be that group. We are holding your hand, we have your back. Together we will change the world."
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world: Indeed it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Black Lives Rally rally on campus September 2020
Jed Metzger, faculty: "Together let us Persist for Justice.
As a campus committed to social justice, regardless of the latest headlines we must stand in solidarity, with Hope in our pocket and Persistence directing our path."
-
Olajiwon McCadney, staff: "You are worthy.
You are not a target.
You are loved.
You are not to be hated.
You are appreciated.
You are seen.
You are valued.
We think about you everyday.
And we love you even if the world cannot embrace your glory."
- Chris Farnum, staff
Ali Bolak, student: "Fight for justice!!"