Editor,
As public health professionals dedicated to the well-being and protection of traditionally oppressed communities which have faced structural and social inequities and marginalization, we want to thank the UNM leadership for taking important initial steps to counter hate speech, hate crimes and bigotry on campus in Albuquerque and satellites statewide.
We also support the call for civil discourse among our UNM community of students, staff, faculty and community partners. We do urge UNM to embrace the larger opportunity of creating a safe legal sanctuary that is meaningful for those who may be targeted in the coming months.
UNM is a second home for 1,500 international and 19,000 racial/ethnic minority students and scholars and the flagship institution serving New Mexico’s diverse populations. These include UNM’s Muslim and undocumented students and colleagues, as well as other minorities, whether through race, ethnicity, language, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, etc., who have been directly or indirectly threatened.
As faculty, we have seen our own diverse student body in the College of Population Health express concerns and fears. Central to our mission as a minority-serving institution under Title V and the University of New Mexico, inclusion and respect for all are central to our academic and administrative endeavors and ultimately foster diverse learning and working environments.
We specifically urge the prohibition of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) onto our campus, as the core prerequisite for safety and health among our whole university population. By declaring UNM a sanctuary university, we join a growing list of universities nationwide who support the protection of all faculty, students and staff. We are thankful for all who are stepping up to a commitment to a fair and just society.
Nina Wallerstein, William Athas, Victor Barbiero, Lily Dow, Lisa Cacari-Stone, Alexis J. Handal, Celia Iriart, Victoria Sanchez, Francisco Soto-Mas, Kristine Tollestrup
UNM faculty members
