In Response to Racial Violence & Injustice

Counseling Center Statement About Racial Injustice & Violence

The Counseling Center joins the Loyola community in expressing our grief, sorrow and compassion for the ongoing racial injustices and tragedies that have been occurring across our nation. These events have impacted all of us and reflect a longstanding and entrenched history of structural and systemic injustice and racism that we condemn and are dedicated to addressing.

We acknowledge the layered experiences of racism across diverse intersecting identities such as the experience of Native communities and United States’ history of colonization and erasure of indigenous cultures; experiences of Black and African American communities within the context of the United States’ history of enslavement; experiences of Asian communities within the context of the internment of Japanese communities, the impact of  the “model minority” myth, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923; dynamics of immigration, colorism, and xenophobia that impact Latinx communities; and experiences of middle eastern communities in the context of islamophobia. This is in no way a comprehensive summary of the diverse and layered dynamics of racism in the United States, and we recognize that in the aftermath of experiencing or witnessing this collective trauma, it is normal to experience a range of feelings and emotions, such as shock, fear, sadness, anger, helplessness or guilt. As a mental health service, the Counseling Center is committed to affirming and providing care for all our students who have been directly or vicariously impacted by racial trauma. We encourage you to contact our office for support, coping, and healing.

Please consider the restorative resources below for BIPOC communities as well as information for those seeking to learn more about white accountability, promote anti-racism, and engage in allyship.

Spaces for Support & Awareness

• Abolishing Racism: White Accountability Space - Bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 3 p.m. EST: Join a conversation for all students, regardless of race, to explore barriers that prevent all individuals from engaging in racial equity work. This space will focus on addressing ways white people perpetuate harm and contribute to individualized and systemic racism. This conversation is an important step in dismantling racism without relying on people of color to do the emotional labor. Please join us on Zoom; no registration necessary. Feel free to email Jason Parcover, PhD, at jparcover@loyola.edu with any questions about the space.

We look forward to connecting with you.