
CN: anti-black violence, death, police violence
As your Students’ Union we stand firmly and completely against racism. We also know that our Universities are not free from racism, and that it is not a uniquely American phenomenon. In the UK, black students disproportionately suffer physical and verbal abuse at University, black people are repeatedly killed in police custody, and only a few weeks ago a black woman, Belly Mujunga, died from Coronavirus after being spat on at Victoria Station. We stand in full solidarity with all those protesting racism, in the UK, America and across the world, now and always.
It is the responsibility of every single non-black person to speak out and act against racism wherever we see it, to actively learn about and counter our own racism, and to support those affected by racism by campaigning against it. It should not be the job of black students to justify or explain their experiences of racism. All white people benefit from systems of institutionalised racism and white supremacy, and must do all that they can to dismantle them.
As the CUSU BME Campaign has highlighted: “Silence is complicity - show your support and break the silence.”
If you can donate to funds supporting those protesting in the US, make sure you do - there are links in the BME Campaign’s post (compiled in this document).
CUSU BME Statement
UPDATE:
The BME Campaign have written an open letter to address what we perceive to be the inadequate response of Cambridge University and Colleges following the murders of Black individuals, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, to name but a few. We urge all those who too believe this is an issue to demonstrate their support in signing our open letter. Silence must be called out, and releasing statements without future action must be viewed as plainly superficial and performative. Our letter details constructive steps that can be undertaken across the University and Colleges, to ensure that a willingness for both structural reform and cultural change to tackle Racism continues into the future, and not just in the aftermath of death. We expect the University and Colleges to do better, and if you do too, then please sign.
J/MCR BLM Donations Camapign
J/MCR | Donate to | Email/Letter | Petition |
Christ’s | UK Black Lives Matter fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund | Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd// | Justice for Belly Mujinga petition |
Churchill | Inquest UK: https://www.inquest.org.uk/donate/make-donation/5/credit-card | Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. | Free Siyanda petition |
Clare | LA Action Bail Fund: https://linktr.ee/actionbailfundla | Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here | Petition to Police Scotland demanding an investigation into the death of Sheku Bayoh, who died in police custody soon after his detention on Sunday 3 May |
Clare Hall | Columbus Freedom Fund https://www.paypal.me/columbusfreedomfund | Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. | Petition: Compel US states to review and amend Police Union Contracts, so that officers can be held accountable to incidents of misconduct and abuse of position |
Corpus | Atlanta Solidarity Fund https://actionnetwork.org/groups/atlanta-solidarity-fund | Write to Joshua Williams, who was 18 when he was arrested during the Ferguson uprisings for lighting a trash can on fire: https://twitter.com/loveformypeople/status/1266402197023096832 | Petition: UK Govt to suspend the export of arms and riot gear to the US |
Darwin | UK Black Lives Matter fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund | Email your MP demanding justice for Shukri Abdi, including for a robust accountability response to the safeguarding failures of Hazel Wood High School; an inquiry into Greater Manchester Police's investigation into Shukri's death; and for Shukri's treatment in life to inform the formulation and implementation of humane policy towards asylum seekers and immigrants. Email template here. | Free Siyanda https://www.change.org/p/free-siyanda |
Downing | Brooklyn Community Bail Fund https://brooklynbailfund.org/donate | Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd// | Justice for Shukri Abdi petition |
Emmanuel | Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019 | Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. | Justice for Breonna Taylor petition |
Fitzwilliam | Black Visions Collective: https://secure.everyaction.com/4omQDAR0oUiUagTu0EG-Ig2 | Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here | Justice for Tony McDade petition |
Girton | UK National Memorial Family Fund https://uffcampaign.org/donations/mikey-powell-memorial-fund/ | Write to Joshua Williams, who was 18 when he was arrested during the Ferguson uprisings for lighting a trash can on fire: https://twitter.com/loveformypeople/status/1266402197023096832 | Petition to the Governor of Texas to reopen the criminal investigation into the death of Sandra Bland |
Gonville and Caius | North Health Star Collective: https://www.northstarhealthcollective.org/donate | Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here | Petition to UK Parliament: Improve maternal mortality rates and healthcare for Black women |
Homerton | Reclaim the Block: https://secure.everyaction.com/4omQDAR0oUiUagTu0EG-Ig2 | Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd// | Justice for George Floyd https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd |
Hughes Hall | 4 Front Project https://www.4frontproject.org/rest-in-power | Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. | Petition to UK Parliament: Introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting |
Jesus | Black LGBTQIA+ Therapy Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/black-lgbtqia-therapy-fund | Write to Joshua Williams, who was 18 when he was arrested during the Ferguson uprisings for lighting a trash can on fire: https://twitter.com/loveformypeople/status/1266402197023096832 | Justice for Ahmuad https://www.change.org/p/human-rights-campaign-justice-for-ahmuad-arbery |
King’s | Black and Pink Bail Fund https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blackandpinkbail | Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here | Justice for Breonna Taylor https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor |
Lucy Cavendish | Black People’s Justice Fund - Metro Phoenix https://secure.everyaction.com/lFZFGA1BpUa9kyYYgSxSKw2 | Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here | Pass the Georgia Hate Crime Law https://www.change.org/p/governor-brian-kemp-justice-for-ahmaud-arbery |
Magdalene | Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee Bail Fund https://rally.org/ARCbailfund | Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd// | Justice for Regis Korchinski-Paquet https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-regis-korchinski-paquet |
Murray Edwards | Donate towards the costs of legal advisors and trained observers providing free counsel to attendees at the BLM UK protests and marches. | Email your MP demanding justice for Shukri Abdi, including for a robust accountability response to the safeguarding failures of Hazel Wood High School; an inquiry into Greater Manchester Police's investigation into Shukri's death; and for Shukri's treatment in life to inform the formulation and implementation of humane policy towards asylum seekers and immigrants. Email template here. | Free Siyanda https://www.change.org/p/free-siyanda |
Newnham | Fundraiser for Belly Mujinga’s family www.gofundme.com/f/rip-belly-mujinga
Black Minds Matter UK |
Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. | Justice for Belly Mujinga petition |
Pembroke | San Diego Bail Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-raise-funds-to-support-our-community | Write to the Met Police to tell them not to invite the Police to pride in London. Email template here | Free Siyanda https://www.change.org/p/free-siyanda |
Peterhouse | Colorado Bail Fund https://fundly.com/coloradofreedom | Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd// | Justice for Tony McDade https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-tony-mcdade |
Queens’ | Runnymede Trust | Email your MP with Amnesty’s template letter https://www.amnesty.org.uk/black-lives-matter-write-your-mp | Medics Petition - link needed
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Robinson | Justice for Emanuel Gomes fundraiser. Emanuel was a cleaner at the Ministry of Justice, who died from suspected COVID-19 after being forced to work while ill. His union's demands for PPE, a Living Wage and sick pay were not met, making the workplace an unsafe environment. Donate towards the costs of repatriating his body and his funeral. | Email your MP demanding justice for Shukri Abdi, including for a robust accountability response to the safeguarding failures of Hazel Wood High School; an inquiry into Greater Manchester Police's investigation into Shukri's death; and for Shukri's treatment in life to inform the formulation and implementation of humane policy towards asylum seekers and immigrants. Email template here. | Justice for Shukri Abdi petition |
Selwyn | Florida Protestor Support https://www.gofundme.com/f/f12-protesters-support | Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. | Justice For Joāo Pedro https://www.change.org/p/prefeitura-do-rio-de-janeiro-justice-for-jo%C4%81o-pedro |
Sidney Sussex | Chicago Community Bond Fund https://chicagobond.org/donate/ | Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. | Justice for Julius Jones https://www.change.org/p/julius-jones-is-innocent-don-t-let-him-be-executed-by-the-state-of-oklahoma |
St Catharine’s | Memorial Fund for Tony McDade https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-tony-mcdade | Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. | Justice for Willie Simmons https://www.change.org/p/alabama-governor-kay-ivey-willie-simmons-has-served-38-years-for-a-9-robbery |
St Edmund’s |
Louisville Community Bail Fund https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/louisville-community-bail-fund/ |
Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. |
Ban the use of rubber bullets for crowd control https://www.change.org/p/un-and-us-government-ban-the-use-of-rubber-bullets |
St John’s |
Breonna Taylor Memorial Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/9v4q2-justice-for-breonna-taylor |
Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. |
Justice for Tamir Rice https://www.change.org/p/department-of-justice-investigate-the-killing-of-tamir-rice |
Trinity |
Reclaim the Block https://secure.everyaction.com/zae4prEeKESHBy0MKXTIcQ2 |
Email Minnesota Police Department demanding that first-degree murder charges be pressed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd. The link is an automatic email generator that will open your inbox and fill in the template and address for you. http://tinyurl.com/emailforfloyd// |
Justice for Andile Mchunu https://www.change.org/p/bheki-cele-justice-for-andile-mchunu-bobo |
Trinity Hall |
FANG Community Bail Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/fangbailfund |
Email your MP asking that the UK ends its arms sales (tear gas, rubber bullets etc) to the US. Email template here. |
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Wolfson |
Trans Emergency Release Fund https://emergencyreleasefund.com/ |
Email your MP and the British Transport Police Authority demanding Justice for Belly Mujinga. Email template here. |
Justice for George Floyd https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd |