Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies (CIARS) official statements regarding current sociological and humanitarian issues.
Solidarity Statement with Global Black Communities
The Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies, The Centre for Leadership and Diversity and Equity Studies stand in full solidarity with global Black communities. We support the struggles of Black, Indigenous, racialized protestors and critical friends demanding justice for victims of police brutality. Black lives matter, stop the violence. Those who enforce the law, must not be seen above the law and we demand genuine accountability and full transparency in the investigation of these deaths. The police cannot be trusted to investigate itself. These are systemic issues that go beyond our police force.
As the world faces a devastating pandemic revealing profound historic and systemic inequalities, impacting Black and racialized communities disproportionately, the latest deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, D’Andre Campbell, and Jason Collins further demonstrate the dehumanizing and outrageous effect anti-Black racism and violence have on Black bodies globally. The ongoing dehumanization of Black lives is appalling and must end. It is a deep scar on us all. There is a lot of pain, suffering, justifiable anger and rage. AntiBlack racism is real. Voices must be heard, and concrete action must be taken forcefully to address systemic racism, white supremacy and other forms of oppression. We hope this moment becomes a turning point.
As a community of scholars, learners and educators who are committed to centering racial justice in our intellectual and political work, we hope to see a critical imagining of new futures that support Black communities and their ‘living well’ locally and globally.
In solidarity,
The Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies, The Centre for Leadership and Diversity and Equity Studies
Principled Stance Against Violence, Injustice, & Occupation
The Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies (CIARS) stands for peace, liberation, safety, and justice for everyone, everywhere.
CIARS condemns all ongoing violence that has led to the loss of innocent lives across the entirety of our Global community. We condemn not because we are forced to, but because it is about our humanity: we must oppose all death and destruction.
CIARS condemns Hamas' horrific attack in Israel on October 7th that led to the loss of innocent lives. CIARS also condemns Israel’s disproportionate response to Hamas’ attack leading to the ongoing loss of countless innocent lives in occupied Palestine.
We understand that all peoples have a right to defend themselves and to live in peace. But peace cannot be achieved through escalating violence in the name of “security” or through collective punishment due to the actions of a few.
CIARS calls for an end to all forms of foreign occupation of Lands, and the protection of human rights, human dignity, life, and wellbeing.
CIARS strongly opposes all racism, including Islamophobia; anti-Palestinian, anti-Indigenous, anti-Black racism; and antisemitism.
CIARS calls for an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds and calls for global responsibility and leadership to work towards peace in all places of conflict.
We support freedom of speech and academic freedom in our universities and educational spaces. We hope that amid the tragedies of this political moment, we may open up spaces for, rather than silence, renewed conversations.
CIARS stands for ongoing critical anti-colonial dialogue that centers the sanctity of every human life, and that generates new solidarities rather than fomenting further separation through hostility and violence.
While decolonization can be violent, we know violence is never the solution, but rather, our resistance must be a search for new humanity.
CIARS sees this moment as a point for critical reflection on how all justice struggles against systems of domination are interconnected. We are only human through the humanity of others. No one group, no matter where in the world or what their history is, has the right to define the limits of this humanity.
