[Important Information for Employees] Black Solidarity Day

[Office of the President]

Dear Campus,

Last spring, by way of a formal Student Association resolution, Black
Solidarity Day was permanently added to the SUNY Plattsburgh academic
calendar, designating the first Monday of every November a “teach-in day,”
to raise awareness and develop knowledge for addressing inequities and
social justice issues. The overarching goal is to support the educational
empowerment of students, staff, faculty, and community members and to honor
the diverse voices who contribute to our community.

While the college has held social justice “teach-in days'' in prior years,
November 7, 2022 marks our first official Black Solidarity Day since the
resolution went into effect. This formalized designation on the academic
calendar is the result of the advocacy of our Student Association, under
the leadership of former SA President Ahmed Metwaly, now a senior in
Management Information Systems and Accounting.



Also instrumental in this effort were Mac-Olivier Lalanne ‘22, who
graduated in May with a degree in political science, and Ohemaa Owusu-Poku,
a junior majoring in political science with minors in Africana studies and
legal studies, and former member of the Student Association Executive Board
and Coordinator of Student Affairs and Diversity.

As a campus community, we are grateful to these student leaders for being
the catalyst that has brought this important day of learning and engagement
to our campus.

We also wish to recognize several groups and individuals who helped support
and promote the many events taking place campus-wide throughout the day:

The Black Solidarity Day Social Justice Teach-In Steering Committee

   -

   Allison Heard, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
   -

   Michelle Bonati (Co-chair), Associate Professor of Teacher Education,
   MSEd program and Faculty Senate Student Life Committee Chair
   -

   Bridget Haina, Associate Professor of Communication Studies
   -

   Gary Kroll, Professor of History
   -

   John McMahon (Co-chair), Assistant Professor of Political Science


The Faculty Senate Student Life Committee

   -

   Amanda Suriel
   -

   Alyssa Gleichsner
   -

   Bridget Haina
   -

   Tobi Hay
   -

   Karina Ckless
   -

   Jessamyn Neuhaus
   -

   Peter Rodenberg
   -

   Amy Gervich
   -

   Melissa LaMere
   -

   Rajesh Sunasee
   -

   Laura-Jean Schwartau
   -

   Ileini Espino
   -

   Joelle Makhoul
   -

   Quin Lee
   -

   Adeeb Chowdhury



The Student Association

   -

   Taiba Azeem (President)
   -

   Saran Kaba (Vice President)
   -

   Peculiar Joseph (Coordinator of Diversity and Student Affairs)
   -

   Pilar Balader Herrero
   -

   Jakira Barrett
   -

   Deasha Gilmore
   -

   Osamuyimen Omorogbe-Akpata
   -

   Marileana Rodriguez
   -

   Shanthan Channapareddy
   -

   Ohemaa Owusu-Poku



And those who provided additional support and guidance

   -

   Anne Herzog
   -

   Cori Jackson
   -

   Sue Bartlett
   -

   Barbara Criss
   -

   Cherice Granger
   -

   Travis Gorham
   -

   Michelle Ouellette
   -

   Jacob Avery
   -

   Raymond Carman


With special thanks to the Plattsburgh College Foundation for sponsoring
the day’s keynote, Dr. Nicky Hylton-Patterson
<https://commongroundadk.org/speakers/nicky-hylton-patterson/>, who will
speak in Yokum 200 from 5:30-6:45pm,.

Together, all of these individuals have coordinated a series of events and
experiences for all on campus. Their commitment to planning, organizing,
and promoting these workshops and presentations is truly appreciated.

Please view the full schedule of Black Solidarity Day events here
<https://www.plattsburgh.edu/plattslife/diversity/teach-in.html>.

Black Solidarity Day is a national event that has taken place every year
since 1969. Initiated by Dr. Carlos Russell, a former professor at SUNY Old
Westbury and Brooklyn College, the original purpose of Black Solidarity Day
was to provide African-Americans with an occasion to unite in their
communities on the Monday prior to Election Day, to discuss issues and
build political power and to consider broader strategies for combating
racial inequality and prejudice. It has since evolved into an opportunity
for the BIPOC community to exercise a 24-hour moratorium from commercial
activities such as shopping and using the public transit system, as a way
to highlight their essential contributions to our economic sustainability
and survival.

Let us all see Black Solidarity Day as an opportunity to connect, to
reflect, to have important conversations, to challenge ourselves, and to
make conscious choices and take deliberate actions that support our
commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

We all have something essential to contribute when it comes to creating the
most inclusive and equitable campus environment for all who study and work
here.

Thank you.

Alexander Enyedi

President

Allison Heard

Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Raymond Carman

Chair, Faculty Senate

Taiba Azeem

President, Student Association
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