I’m writing to you today about words and our life together as a community.
As scholars and learners temporarily scattered around the globe by the pandemic, we face the fatigue and anxiety of the overall situation as well as our individual circumstances.
The coronavirus crisis unfolds at a time when the way we communicate has changed dramatically. For this moment, we do need our screens to stay connected, but we must be intentional in maintaining the depth and compassion that comes more easily when we speak face-to-face.
We are living in the time of the furious tweet, the cruel meme and the angry email, when social media and the web can be used to mobilize meaningful movements for change but also to spew hate, promote division and spread misinformation.
At Pomona, as at colleges across the nation, we are not immune to these challenges. Over time, I’ve become concerned with the content, tone and sheer jaggedness of how we communicate with each other electronically.
It all happens very fast, and that works against the slower nature of our two most cherished values: building lasting community and pursuing deep intellectual inquiry.
I ask that you consider waiting, thinking it through more deeply, before you make that post or send that email that may hurt individuals, entire groups or disrupt community. And when a wrong is committed, the work of addressing it often requires a community effort. We also must protect the freedom to disagree and voice opinions that are not of the majority.
Not all of the issues we face are new, but they can resurface in new ways. I’m concerned about a resurgence in anti-Semitism in our nation and across the globe, and I condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms. Recently at Pomona, we had an incident involving the sharing of a deeply offensive and anti-Semitic social media post, followed by a sincere and thoughtful apology, and a commitment by ASPC to work respectfully and productively with all students.
My focus on anti-Semitism here does not mean we ignore all the other ills in the world; it’s a matter of using the right words to describe what we see.
I and others have been working with groups of students to commit to deep dialogue that can build relationships, promote learning and growth, and transform the atmosphere for all. This fall we will launch a series of conversations to address these issues. The first will feature our trustee, Christina Wire ’87, vice president for global operations at YouTube, where issues involving community standards are constantly at the forefront.
Words alone won’t do, just as calls for cooperation and mutual respect can’t be covers for inaction. As someone whose grandmother waited 70 years for the chance to vote, simply because she was Black, I recognize the righteous necessity of being fed up. But that’s not all we can be. As we push against systemic injustice in our nation on so many fronts, we also need to find ways to discuss issues and find common ground where we can.
Our lives depend on it. Consider the divisions in our nation over the simple act of wearing a face mask. Our own community will face challenges in the fall when we resume classes online. We will be even more tired of the pandemic and will need true community more than ever. Let’s make the choice right now to talk to one another.
All the best,
Gabi