Call to action: Stop the Hate workshops

Dear UMD community,

I write to you today as many of our friends and neighbors are about to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for our Jewish community. I also write to you as we make progress on our anti-racist agenda and reaffirm our commitment to LGBTQ+ Terps through our newly renamed Equity Center.

I believe our collective commitment to an inclusive campus has never been stronger. At the same time, I am keenly aware that instances of anti-Jewish, anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ+ hate continue to be present across the country and even on our own campus. When these instances of hate occur on our campus, our priority is to support those who are affected by providing services and resources.

I also have a sense of hope for the changes we are making - and the systems we are building - to prevent and address hate on our campus. I believe our collective commitment to an inclusive campus has never been stronger, and I write with a call to action.

Please join us. The Office of Diversity & Inclusion offers resources on combating oppression and hate, including a series of upcoming webinars on antisemitism. These lessons are just as important now than ever, and I urge you to prioritize this work and take advantage of the resources that are available to you as part of the UMD community. We need you.

For faculty/staff

• Stop the Hate - Tuesday, September 28, 4-5 p.m. (hosted by Bias Incident Support Services)
• Stop the Hate - Wednesday, November 10, 12-1 p.m. (hosted by Bias Incident Support Services)

For students

• Stop the Hate - Wednesday, October 20, 12-1 p.m. (hosted by Bias Incident Support Services)

For any member of our community

• Schedule a training with Bias Incident Support Services
• Take a Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue course or sign up to be a facilitator

There are also resources available for anyone at UMD who has been affected by a hate-bias incident of any kind:

• Report hate or bias to Bias Incident Support Services (BISS), who are focused on the needs and healing of affected parties. To learn more about what happens when you submit a bias report, view the BISS protocol.
• Report harassment to the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct (OCRSM).
• Seek support and resources from campus departments, including Diversity Training & Education, the Office of Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy (MICA), UMD's chaplains, Resident Life, Student Affairs, the Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) and the Counseling Center.

We are firm in our support of our community. Please join us in speaking up when you see hate in any form. We can—and must—do better.

Sincerely,