Student Statements on the Black Lives Matter Movement

Dear Columbia Business School Community,

We release the following statement in support of the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and in denouncement of violent acts of racism and discrimination.

In recent weeks, the deaths of numerous black individuals have reached the mainstream media leading to outcry for social change. A video of Ahmaud Arbery's murder was released to the public, and after the video recording surfaced of Ahmaud being shot and killed while jogging, it sparked widespread outrage leading to the arrests of Gregory and Travis McMichael. Reports of Breonna Taylor were then released of her being killed in her home by police who were executing a search warrant at the wrong location. As recent as yesterday, the FBI has launched a federal civil rights investigation into the death of George Floyd, whose death was captured on video as Minneapolis police officers pinned him down to the ground with a knee to the back of his neck for several minutes despite being handcuffed and pleading to the officers that he couldn't breathe. This is just the latest in a long line of injustices against our community. We, the Columbia Black Business Students Association, stand with the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and with all who have been affected by acts of racism and discrimination.

As these tragic killings have shown, video recordings circulating through social media have transformed the way black people can advocate for proper justice for violence towards them. Traditionally, corporations take a neutral stance in matters of social justice, especially as it pertains to the role that race plays within America. In a world increasingly skeptical of capitalism and private enterprise in American society, we believe that business leaders have a pressing moral obligation to showcase the positive ways that private industry can support societal advances, and we believe that understanding and addressing institutionalized racism is a key component of this. We are reminded of Ida B. Wells' evergreen words "The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them." We commit to challenging ourselves, and the organizations with which we work, to actively shine the proverbial light of truth upon the structural and institutionalized racism that allows these incidents to occur on such a frequent basis.

There is a significant need for us as future leaders to work together and use our positions for education and action. We look forward to partnering with our peers at CBS, other MBA programs, and across different disciplines (law, policy, etc.) to collectively learn more about how each of us can play a pivotal role in influencing tangible change. The CBS BBSA is planning events over the next year regarding potential policy solutions that corporations can support, and we will be facilitating student-led discussions to hear other perspectives. We hope to engage policy makers, activists, companies, and our peers in conversations centered around identifying actionable solutions and learning how business leaders can use our unique positions of relative privilege to advocate for these solutions being implemented. We look forward to collaborating with the rest of our CBS community as we tackle these efforts.

Sincerely,

The Columbia Black Business Students Association (BBSA) Executive Board

Dear CBS Community,

These have been a rough couple of weeks, and we recognize that the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and David McAtee have caused fear, anxiety, and pain to members of our community. We further acknowledge that these incidents are especially uncomfortable as they invoke America’s history of enslavement and its implications--especially the history of baseless killings of Black women, men, trans, and non-binary people. These past few weeks remind us that anti-Black racism is real. However, despite conflicting societal feelings on the current demonstrations, we are also reminded of the value that can be created when communities across cultures unite their voices, aggregate their resources, and work together.

CBS is more than just a professional school. We are a community of future business leaders who are learning to create value for society and transform the world. The reality is we will move forward from this institution one day to lead organizations and manage people. Instances like this induce trauma, which in turn negatively affects people’s mental health and general performance. It is critical that we reflect on how we can use this moment to learn. Learn how to check in on friends. Learn how to support colleagues. Learn how to leverage resources and petition organizations to provide resources to those affected by instances like this. In order to create and sustain value, not just in business but also in everyday life, it is crucial that we make sure people have what they need to process and recover.

In these times of global isolation, we are encouraged by our community’s groundswell of interest in having conversations to unpack, process, and learn from this sociocultural moment. Given this, ExBo and CBS Reflects are working with Cluster Boards and sharing resources to assist you in having these difficult yet important conversations with your friends, families, and classmates. As your student body advisory boards, we want to remind you that though we are apart, we are still one CBS. We are one community. We have each other’s backs, and we hold each other up.

CBS Reflects and ExBo are here for you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need or want someone to talk to as well as if you would like to discuss thoughts on how we can make our community stronger together.

With Love & In Solidarity,

George Smith & Nisha Datta
CBS Reflects Co-Presidents
Student Government Executive Board

Dear CWiB Community,

In light of recent prominent acts of racism and discrimination across the United States, the Columbia Women in Business board would like to openly state our loyalty and solidarity with our friends in the BBSA and with our black CWiB members. You have our complete and unwavering support.

CWiB was founded with the mission to enable all CBS women to achieve their personal and professional goals. We vow to uphold that mission and to dedicate our time over the coming year to making CWiB a safe space for each and every woman, regardless of the color of her skin. Building a strong, inclusive community was to be the club’s focus for the coming year. This is now a greater need than ever. Starting today, CWiB will be providing resources to our members for ways to educate themselves and actively fight racism. Additionally, starting later this summer and running through the year, CWiB will be hosting monthly discussions to create a space to speak frankly about issues facing our members today, issues such as the history of white feminism, gender roles and stereotypes, sexism in the workplace, and how to be better allies.

We are all here at CBS to learn; we must also educate ourselves on the history of this country, why our systems fail and injure others in our community, and what we can do to make a change, both now and as future business leaders. Let us all work together to break down stigmas, ask important questions, listen to the lived experiences of others, and amplify voices that represent the complete spectrum of our membership.

The board respectfully asks for your participation as we grow together over the coming year.

Signed,

The 2020-2021 CWiB Executive Board

'I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.' ― Audre Lorde

Cluster Q’s board and its members release the following statement in solidarity with our classmates in the Black Business Students Association, the families and communities of victims of racism, discrimination, and police brutality, and the protestors across the nation seeking justice for, among countless others, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.

Words cannot express the outrage we feel as witnesses to the brutal violence faced by communities of color in this country. We condemn the systems of discrimination and oppression that trap Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in poverty, sacrifice them to state-sponsored injustice, and perpetuate their senseless murder. These systems cannot be dismantled without our active support for, and participation in, the efforts to hold the perpetrators of these racists acts accountable.

During Pride Month, we are reminded of the brave acts of defiance at Stonewall, led by the Black Transgender activist Marsha P Johnson, that sparked the LGBTQ+ liberation movement over 50 years ago. We recognize the same bravery among the Black, Brown, and Indigenous activists and protestors facing racism, violence, and repression today. Cluster Q is committed to serving as a force for action against these systems that prevent the equity and justice we seek in our society.

Finally, we use this statement to honor and support the LGBTQ+ people of color who face levels of violence and discrimination that for many is unfathomable. We pledge our hearts, hands, and minds to supporting Black communities, LGBTQ+ people of color, and all those who are fighting to end state-led violence, White supremacy, and discrimination. As a part of our fight to combat injustice and support anti-racist action, Cluster Q is donating to the Brooklyn Bail Fund and the Black Vision Fund. We encourage you to check out the resources attached below.

In Solidarity,

Cluster Q Board and Members

Online Resources

https://blacklivesmatter.com/resources
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/books/review/antiracist-reading-list-ibram-x-kendi.html

Donations

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2005_email_blacklivesmatter-up
https://biglink.to/blmdonations
https://www.naacpldf.org/support
https://unicornriot.ninja/donate
https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
https://www.gofundme.com/f/i-run-with-maud
https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-mike-ramos
https://www.reclaimtheblock.org
http://www.lgbtqracialjusticefund.org/grantees/snapco
https://blackaids.org
https://resist.org/grantees/lgbtq-freedom-fund

GMA Statement of Solidarity

The General Management Association (GMA) Board stands in solidarity with our black members and fellow classmates in the Black Business Student Association (BBSA) and larger Columbia University community. We release this statement to express how devastated we are by the oppression of blacks and other People of Color (POC) across the country.

The grievous injustices committed to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless others show how deeply ingrained racial prejudices are in this nation. The current police brutality committed against protesters further demonstrates the threat of violence that black citizens in America face every day, in addition to the will of systems of power that continue such oppression. The significant reforms needed to correct these institutions will only occur with an outpouring of support from all communities, regardless of race. Acts of discrimination are also ubiquitously prevalent in the professional world.

Discriminatory hiring, promotion, and firing policies as well as racist behavior by leaders and colleagues have long stifled the advancement of diversity in the workplace. As a professional organization, GMA condemns these actions and is dedicated to advancing the careers of all its members, especially those who face systematic biases. A significant part of preparing our members for effective careers is teaching them how to build diverse and inclusive organizations, a responsibility that we are wholeheartedly devoted to upholding.

We are more successful when we stand together to recognize and embrace those from different backgrounds. As the future business leaders of the world, we will use our influence to create diverse and inclusive organizations that reverberate positive impacts throughout society.

Sincerely,

GMA Board

Dear Columbia Business School,

The recent tragedies that are unfolding across America are devastating and shake us to our core. As members of the Hispanic Business Association (HBA), we feel the strong need and desire to reiterate our support to our Black and Afro-Latinx community.

We condemn the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery and the long list of lives that have been lost to the systemic forces of oppression towards Black Americans. We stand in solidarity with the Black Business Student Association, as these are not just our colleagues but our friends.

Watching an injustice committed against communities of color, and against our humanity, is painful each and every time. These injustices are only worsened as they covertly manifest themselves in all other facets of everyday life--as is most recently seen in the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on communities of color. We must work together to become a part of the solution.

As members of the HBA, we are committed to working to end this abhorrent cycle. In doing so we will be providing opportunities for members to discuss ways in which our community can educate itself and proactively join the fight against institutionalized racism. Additionally we will continue community conversations and activism by hosting programming with HBA alumni focused on how to promote Black and Brown voices in the workplace, to help us be the equitable leaders we need to be.

We want all of those hurting to know that we see you. We hear you. And we hurt with you as we stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight to end systemic oppression, racism, and injustices.

Sincerely,

The Hispanic Business Association

HTA STANDS WITH BBSA
Promoting the Black Community in Hospitality & Travel

Dear CBS Community and Friends,

The Hospitality & Travel Association stands in solidarity with BBSA in denouncing the violent acts of racism and discrimination and in support of the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.

We are heartbroken by the acts of racial injustice and police brutality that we all have witnessed. Our country has waited far too long to put an end to the systemic oppression and racism that black communities have suffered since the founding of this country. It is each of our personal and collective responsibilities to put an end to this injustice.

As the club that celebrates the comforts of traveling and hospitality, we are not blind to the racial gap in opportunities and privileges in the travel and hospitality sector. We are keenly aware that there is much work to be done to make the industry more inclusive not just in our home country, but around the world.

As the travel & hospitality sector re-opens and reinvents itself in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, we recognize that now is the time to bridge this racial divide and foster full equality in opportunity, both professionally and leisurely, for the black community. We, as members of the CBS community, understand our privilege and influence, both presently and in the future, to play a role in this movement to effect change. To begin the dialogue, we at HTA would like to celebrate just one voice, Jessica Nabongo, the first black woman to visit every single country. It is our responsibility to make the world a place where we no longer celebrate Jessica as the “minority exception” but rather for the strong, accomplished woman she is, as well as the many other black leaders in travel & hospitality.

We are proud to join peer clubs in planning events this next year to celebrate a diversity of travel and hospitality experiences and #blacklivesmatter. We too look forward to collaborating with the rest of the CBS community as we tackle these efforts and facilitate more student-led dialogue aimed at hearing a diversity of perspectives.

Sincerely,

HTA Club Board

Dear Columbia Business School Community,

The Latin America Business Association (LABA) Executive Board releases the following message to support our classmates and friends in the Black Business Students Association (BBSA), the family of the deceased and other affected communities in the rest of the country.

We are horrified by the acts of racial injustice and police brutality that we have seen these past few days as well as the systemic oppression and racism Black communities have suffered for years. The deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and others have appalled us and made us reflect on the injustice and systematic racism that have been in place for a long time.

As students that come from very diverse countries, we don't feel oblivious to this situation, and we are also aware that we are not doing enough to tackle these serious and urgent problems. After BBSA's call to action, we are looking forward to collaborating with them and other clubs on campus to address these issues and tackle the efforts needed to promote change.

Sincerely,

Latin American Business Association Board (LABA)

Dear all,

On behalf of the Management Consulting Association, we stand in solidarity with our fellow black classmates, the BBSA, and black communities across the country. The unconscionable killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are yet another instance of the sustained injustices and perpetuated brutality aimed against the black community and other peoples of color. These deaths bring to mind the names of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and Emmett Till, as well as countless others. These are not isolated incidents. Rather, they are instances where intentional systems of political, economic, and social oppression that have long suppressed the black community come to light. We condemn these systems. We condemn a racist mindset. We condemn a passive mindset. We must address these systems of inequality now.

We write today not only to support the black community, but to also recognize our ability to effect change in our communities. Historically, the management consulting industry has been complicit in furthering the status quo and these systems of oppression, both in the US and abroad. It is our duty and obligation as future members of this industry to recommit to the ideals of racial and social justice. We acknowledge the privilege that comes from being CBS students, and we also acknowledge the power that will come from our profession. We must use this privilege and power to become effective allies in the struggle for social equality.

This fight for racial equity will not come to an end quickly and it will not come easily. We recognize that we must not only be activists in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy, but that this is a battle we will have to fight the rest of our lives.

Here are some resources to learn and to act. Please share them and have conversations with friends and family as an ally.

The MCA is committed to keeping ourselves accountable and educated. We hope that all of you will join us in working towards a more equitable society today, tomorrow, and forever.

In solidarity,

The MCA Board

To the heartbroken and unified CBS community,

As we navigate a week of justified protests, in light of the shameful and appalling incidents surrounding George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others' deaths at the hands of institutionalized racism in the 21st century, the CBS Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Club affirms its unwavering stance, in support of black communities, against racism.

While none of us Middle Easterns can, in any way, claim to understand the struggles of our brothers and sisters in the face of outdated bigotry, we are no strangers to the ignorance breeding intolerance towards others: be it towards workers immigrating for the opportunity to live a better life, towards our own country-men and women born with different skin tones, or simply towards some who have been societally deprived of equal opportunities.

Today, as proud students of Columbia University, pioneering changes addressing equality, diversity and inclusion, we recognize our responsibility towards this long-silenced cause. In a time when not being racist has clearly failed to suffice against deep rooted ignorant societal beliefs, we recognize the opportunity to take a more powerful and determined stance towards educating others and eradicating this ignorance.

We may have long ways to go before we can once again be proud of who we are as humans in 2020, but today we are here to stand behind our family in the Black Business Students Association (BBSA), as enraged and purposeful as they, and the world, need us to be.

We see your struggles and humbly volunteer to play our part in ensuring that no other would face similar injustice.

The MENA Club Board

Dear Columbia Business School Community,

In light of the tragic events surrounding unlawful deaths of black American citizens in Minneapolis, Georgia, Kentucky, and beyond, the CBS Military in Business Association (MiBA) releases the following statement in solidarity with our colleagues in the Black Business Students Association (BBSA) and the families of the deceased.

There need be no retelling of the events we have all seen and heard, not just in the last week, but over the vast many years we have all been sentient observers of life in this country. It is plainly obvious to most Americans that our minority friends, neighbors, and family members must deal with the ugly, enduring scourge of systemic racism regularly. For American citizens like Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others, these daily encounters have led to their unlawful and untimely deaths.

As veterans (of numerous races, nationalities and identities), MiBA members have a unique vantage point from which to view these atrocities. Most of us were moved to join the military to protect our nation, safeguard our families and ensure that the founding principles of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness continue to be available for all. But when we return home from the battlefields and the high seas, it is deeply saddening to see the very people we swore to protect gunned down and suffocated in American streets by fellow citizens or police officers who have taken a similar oath to our own. We reject the force, method, and spirit police have shown to citizens in these situations. In the event of future National Guard intervention, we expect to see empathetic and effective communication with the community and police to ensure the safety of all parties involved. We know our military places a high standard on ethical operational integrity and we remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.

So, with this statement, MiBA takes the modest step of speaking up in support of BBSA and all the minority students and associations that face these hardships day in and day out. We are honored to call you our classmates, but more importantly, our friends. We are with you and for you always.

Sincerely,

Leadership Board of the CBS Military in Business Association

Dear Columbia Business School community,

The JBSA board releases the following statement in solidarity with our classmates and friends in the Black Business Students Association (BBSA) and the families and communities of the deceased, and in denouncement of violent acts of racism and discrimination.

Our hearts are heavy for the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and for the families of so many other Black Americans whose lives have been senselessly and unlawfully cut short at the hands of racist police and civilians. The headlines and videos that have dominated the news these past weeks feel all too familiar; we have seen it before many times, and the cycle of violence, pain, and anger—followed by silence and inaction—can feel interminable.

Over the last week, people all over the world have poured out into the streets to demand justice and lasting change, and express solidarity. It is meaningful to us that these protests are taking place during Shavuot, a time when we celebrate the revelation of the Torah—which for many represents a vision for a different world, one in which all people are liberated. As leaders, both at Columbia and in the business world, we have the power and privilege to help make this vision a reality. None of us can do it alone; JBSA stands alongside our Black classmates and friends, ready to do the work of allyship and advocacy.

Sincerely,

The Jewish Business Students Association Board

Dear Columbia Business School Community,

We release the following statement in support of our classmates and friends in the Black Business Students Association. For the last few weeks, we have witnessed systemic injustice and violence against the Black Community, and injustices that challenge the fundamentals of human rights. We share our deepest condolences with the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and all other people of color who are subject to racial violence and discrimination.

Though we don't expect to completely understand the Black experience in America, as fellow minorities we understand their pain, grief, and frustration in these times. The amount of pain in the Black community is profound and people coming together during a pandemic is a testament to a deep-rooted feeling of injustice that the community must feel. The Black Business Student Association has been nothing short of welcoming and given many first-time migrants a place in their community. As a community, the least that SABA can do is to raise our voices against the systemic injustice that the Black community faces routinely. Furthermore, the South Asian experience in the United States has heavily benefited from the struggle, activism, and achievements of the Black community in America.

We all must look deep within ourselves and do as much as we can individually and collectively to root out any sense of prejudice that we might be guilty of in our daily lives. There can be no question around treating everyone fairly and justly, regardless of their race, religion, and ethnicity. We need to be decent human beings at first before we can set a claim for anything else that we might strive for.

As leaders of tomorrow, we have the responsibility of calling out instances of racism and creating an inclusive community. At this stage, we implore everyone to reach out to people who are hurting and let them know, that you are with them. Please show up for others, especially for our friends at the BBSA, as they have shown up for us throughout our time at Columbia and take the time to listen and learn more about their experiences. We at SABA stand alongside BBSA and all other sections of our shared Columbia community in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

The South Asia Business Association

Dear Columbia Business School Community,

The Social Enterprise Club, Pangea, Nonprofit Board Leadership Program, and Microlumbia join the many other student organizations at Columbia Business School to stand in solidarity with the Black Business Student Association and our Black community members including our students, staff, and faculty.

In our home of NYC, Amy Cooper weaponized the systemic prejudice of our police system against Christian Cooper. The deaths of David McAtee, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, ​as well as too many others​ have demonstrated the need for institutional and individual change across the nation. During this time, COVID-19 has also had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, laying bare the inequities often faced by people of color due to systemic inequities such as limited access to adequate social, economic, and healthcare provisions.

It is time for us to take a stand together against the rampant injustice, racism, and inequity Black communities continually face.

Everyone has a voice in this movement and a role to play in this fight. This is our call to each and every member of the Columbia community to act now.

We have compiled a list of resources to help us all take a stand to create a more equitable community and country.

What you can do right now …

Show up.

​Make yourself available to your friends and community members, ​join peaceful protests ​if you can, and support ​Black owned business​.

Use your voice to demand justice.

• For Breonna Taylor: (502) 574-2003 | Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer
• For George Floyd: 612-324-4499 | ​Shaun King​ has set up a call line that will connect you with key players in the George Floyd case
• Sign petitions​ (these can double as scripts when you call)

Donate.

• Bail Funds for Protesters​: Thousands of protesters were arrested over the weekend. Not making bail could mean not being able to get to work or make it home to family members in need.
• The Liberty Fund​: A New York advocacy organization that will use your donation to post bail for anyone held in pretrial detention in a New York City jail and provide support services while they await trial, maintain their employment, and support their families. This organization supports the rights of communities of color on an ongoing basis and is not specific to the protests of the moment.
• National Advocacy Organizations​: If you’re interested in donating at the national level
• To the Victims​: Support the victims’ families directly

Read and listen​.

• Start with one of these books​ to better question your unconscious biases and how you’ve benefited from systemic racism
• Better understand transformative justice (highly recommend #6 ​Accountability for Racism​)
• Understand the plan to end police violence from ​Campaign Zero​ and ​8 Can’t Wait
• Dig deeper:
  • Prison abolition
  • Black feminism​

As an organization, we want to find ways to make this an ongoing conversation to drive education, advocacy, and action. It is not enough to take action in moments of violence only - we need to find ways to be allies all the time. We hope you, our community, will hold us accountable to that.

We look forward to learning with you, growing together, and fighting to continually improve our world.

Sincerely,

The CBS Social Enterprise Community
(Social Enterprise Club, Pangea, Nonprofit Board Leadership Program, and Microlumbia)

Dear Columbia Business School community and friends,

We, the Student Leadership and Ethics Board (SLEB), write to denounce the recent horrific acts of injustice, racism, and unethical leadership and to stand in solidarity with our African and African American classmates and community members. The recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and countless others have engrossed the nation and uncovered the drastic need for broad-based change.

In addition, we write to reflect upon the profound loss The Bernstein Center and the Columbia community experienced with the untimely passing of our Faculty Director, Katherine Phillips. Professor Phillips was a gift to everyone she touched and was a true change agent in this conversation with her influential research on diversity and inclusion. In our first SLEB meeting last year, Professor Phillips acknowledged that she knew her work was sometimes 'preaching to the choir'—that the students who took her class were already committed to successfully leading a diverse organization. She assured us, however, that her work was still important because, as a choir, we did not 'sound very good yet.'

As we face the horrors of this moment—horrors that have been occurring for many years—we find ourselves craving Professor Phillips' guidance. We wish we could take her class, feel her vibrant energy, and soak in her wisdom. But even though she is not physically with us today, as future global business leaders, we must carry on her legacy by fighting harder for values-based leadership, justice, and racial equity. It is no longer the time to merely seek guidance. We need to sing, and we need the world to hear our voices.

Throughout this week, we have read numerous beautiful statements from various student groups. There are more discussions occurring, individuals donating, resources being aggregated and shared, and action being taken. We are proud to see so many people using their voices. We are proud to see CBS singing.

And, as part of the Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics, SLEB vows to keep singing along with our fellow students by providing more resources to the community to learn and educate ourselves about what it truly means to be a just and ethical leader.

So, for the next academic year, SLEB is committed to doubling-down on its efforts to fight injustice by acting on the following:

• Partnering with the CBS Executive Board to facilitate anti-bias education and training for students
• Collaborating with the Arthur J. Samberg Institute for Teaching Excellence to encourage and equip professors to confront their own biases, to lead more ethical and inclusive discussions in class, and to facilitate conversations around diversity and values-based leadership
• Incorporating discussions around inclusivity, justice, and equity in all Bernstein events including the Montrone Seminar Series on Ethics, Ethics Matters, and Leadership and Ethics Week
• Conducting focus groups and creating platforms for discussions on specific ethical topics, issues and current events to hear all student voices and perspectives and address important questions

Sincerely,

Student Leadership and Ethics Board

Dear Columbia Business School Community,

The Asian Business Association (ABA), Korean Business Association (KBA), Japan Business Association (JBA), Southeast Asian Business Association (SEABA), and Greater China Society (GCS) stand together with our brothers and sisters in the Black Business Students Association (BBSA). We feel compelled to release this statement of support as recent events have reminded us of the racial injustice, police brutality, and systemic oppression that have impacted so many black families and communities.

The CBS Asian community supports protestors' demand for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others. Words cannot express the pain, anger, and frustration we all feel alongside our black and brown communities, both at CBS and beyond. We condemn the actions of law enforcement we have witnessed, the most visible symptom of the systemic racism, discrimination, and violence these communities face.

In 1968, Black, Asian and other minority student associations created a coalition known as the Third World Liberation Front at San Francisco State University, demanding change of exclusionary admissions practices and creating the Ethnic Studies curriculum that would become so prevalent in American universities. Without this combined effort, minority experiences would not be taught in higher education today. This is only one of the many examples of what we have accomplished in solidarity. As Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month ends, we are all reminded that activism and unity amongst minorities strengthen the movement for equality. While we can't understand what the black experience is like in America, as fellow minorities we understand the fight for justice is shared amongst us all.

Sincerely,

The Columbia Asian Business Association (ABA), Korean Business Association (KBA), Japan Business Association (JBA), Southeast Asian Business Association (SEABA), and Greater China Society (GCS) Executive Boards

Dear Columbia Business School,

The Investment Banking Club, Private Equity Club, Venture Capital Club, Equity Research Club, and Columbia Student Investment Management Association release the following statement in support of the Black Business Students Association, the victims of racism and oppression, and the protesters who seek justice and change.

We will not remain silent while such events unfold nationwide, and we condemn the violence that has been perpetrated against numerous black individuals in both recent and past history. We recognize that systemic racism is a serious problem which impacts our classmates and community members, and we too must do our part to speak out against racism. We believe in equal opportunities for all people, whether it is in the workplace, the classroom, or the public domain. As professional organizations, we will do our part to support equality at CBS and in the business world.

Sincerely,

The Investment Banking Club, Private Equity Club, Venture Capital Club, Equity Research Club, and Columbia Student Investment Management Association Executive Boards