Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: Toward a More Just Society – February 3, 2023
February 3, 2023
Colleagues,
Education is a pathway to a more just society. SUNY WCC’s liberal arts curriculum provides exposure to new ideas and perspectives and develops critical thinking and other necessary life skills that are important for future endeavors, enabling our students to become vital, contributing community members. Through this educational experience, graduates become knowledgeable consumers of information, they learn to discern the difference between facts and propaganda, they gain the ability to interpret facts to develop their opinions, and they can translate those informed opinions into a course of positive action to make the world a better place.
It is this preparation that sets the stage for resistance by our generation. Our month-long celebration of Black History reminds us of the relevance and importance of this part of our mission. This year’s national theme, Black Resistance, is a theme as critical today as it was during the heights of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Many of the rights and efforts at creating a just and equitable society from that era have been rolled back or threatened in recent years.
The recent killing of Tyre Nichols, and other acts of violence throughout our nation, remind us that there is still a long way to go in achieving equity and equality. While this struggle continues, this generation has a big advantage over previous ones. That advantage is that we can stand on the shoulders of those who preceded us and who led the fight on our behalf. In the same way that we benefit from their struggles and resistance, we will create a foundation upon which future generations will stand. History provides evidence of progress and reminds us that this struggle is a worthy endeavor.
Check out the full calendar of our events for Black History Month here and be sure to encourage students to attend. Special thanks to this year’s committee led by Prof. Donnie Simmons, Sr. for such insightful coordination and facilitation. These programs help us understand what issues require taking a stand and how to work collaboratively to take that stand together.
For example, Professor Heidi Baez, Professor Kristy Robinson, and Dr. Rachelle Hall said this about an event yesterday conducted in collaboration with The Steve Fund: Mind, Body, and Spirit: Mental Wellness in the 21st Century:
“During this session, Dr. Bvunzawabaya presented relevant research findings on what wellness means today and how the SUNY WCC community can approach holistic well-being amidst today’s varied, and at times challenging, social conditions and experiences. Following the Black History Month theme of Resistance, the presentation focused, in part, on the challenges that students of color encounter in their everyday lives, in lived experience and what is mediated to them, and how it interacts with mental health and emotional well-being. At the heart of the presentation was the focus of how wellness, a status that is not just personal but also social and environmental, is critical for the success of students.”
Please encourage students to find out more about the mental health support available to them, on and off-campus, by visiting www.sunywcc.edu/mentalhealth and following the Department of Mental Health & Counseling Services on Instagram @wccmentalhealth. Similar resources are also available for faculty and staff through the Employee Assistance Program. To learn more, visit https://mentalhealth.westchestergov.com/. #WCCHereForYou
In closing, I share the following quote from Maya Angelou, which is just as applicable to replace “parents” with “educators.” It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President