Butte College
News Announcement

A Message to the Butte College Community

To Our Butte College Community,

My heart aches for our country, as I know yours does too.  George Floyd was killed on the streets of Minneapolis by a member of their local law enforcement community. On that same day, Amy Cooper weaponized her status with law enforcement as a white woman to threaten the safety and well-being of Christian Cooper in New York’s Central Park. This is on the heels of the nation learning that Ahmaud Arbery’s killers, who gunned him in the street for walking through a home under construction, lived free for months without fear of prosecution because they had connections to local law enforcement officials. These are three recent incidents in a long line of injustices and hurts experienced by African-American citizens of our nation. People are hurt and angry, and we are seeing this play out in protests across the country, some peaceful and others in violent expressions of rage.

As a college president, I can’t help but sit and think about what I can do. How can we and our institution help facilitate the change our country so desperately needs? So much starts with education. We have a responsibility to educate ourselves on the insidious and pervasive ways that racism, hatred, and bigotry continue to plague our nation, remnants of our nation’s original sin that still lingers oh so many years later. Our Book in Common this year is How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. I cannot think of a better time for us to collectively read Kendi’s work, have courageous conversations, challenge ourselves, take his lessons to heart, and put his ideas into practice. Our African-American brothers and sisters, our fellow citizens, are experiencing a pain that the rest of us will never fully know and understand, but it is our responsibility to learn why.

Butte College trains first responders, including law enforcement officers. It is our responsibility to provide cadets with the knowledge and skills they need to serve and protect all members of our communities. This includes a strong grounding in cultural competence and racial equity. The administrators of our academies are meeting to discuss ways to strengthen these critical components of the curriculum.

It is especially challenging for us to be going through this while sheltering in place. In these times, we want to be together - to vent, to commiserate, to hug. When you are confined to your homes, we cannot find that familiar face or that person who always has your back, who will listen, comfort, and reassure. It is harder to have those impromptu conversations that lift your spirits and give you hope for a brighter day tomorrow. We must continue to be committed to the work of reflection, analysis, and actions of how Butte College can break the hold of institutional racism that exists in our country and to foster the inclusion, support, and success of our underrepresented students.

Students are encouraged to contact the following departments if they would like to speak with someone directly regarding any mental health needs or concerns during this challenging time.
Counseling: 530.815.9954. 
Student Health Clinic: 530.895.2441 
Safe Place & Wellness Program: 530.815.9956 

Take care of yourselves and one another.

Samia Yaqub

Butte College President