Support Black Student Union at University of Utah

We write on behalf of the Black Student Union at the University of Utah for the purpose of addressing and responding to the passing of HB261. As of July 1st, 2024, the Utah Legislature passed House Bill 261, “Equal Opportunity Initiatives.” This legislation prohibits practices based on “personal identity characteristics.” Specifically, under the new bill, the university cannot maintain a policy, procedure, practice, program, office, or initiative, or require training based on personal identity characteristics. This legislation undermines the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity that are vital to not only our community but society at large.

As promised, the effects of this bill have caused immense changes and limitations to the way the university supports all affinity organizations/offices. The beginning of the semester was filled with truly heartbreaking closures across campus: Women’s Resource Center, LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Center for Equity and Student Belonging, and Black Cultural Center. All of these centers provided and promoted safety, mental health support, scholarships, and an inclusive environment to all students. Following the closures, all affinity clubs and organizations were stripped of all university funding. Our community has suffered under the weight of this bill and its destruction from the moment it passed.

Therefore, our mission is to resist and reject any attack on our community and freedom to gather, celebrate, educate, grow, and empower people of color. We must not forget our power. Together, we can harness the words of civil rights warrior, Audre Lorde, by remembering that “Without community there is no liberation…but community must not mean a shedding of our differences, nor the pathetic pretense that these differences do not exist.” Yes, each of our personal identity characteristics deserves to be cared for equally. But, ignoring the reality of living in a Black body—uniquely, a Black body in a predominantly white space—only adds to the many barriers blocking the pathway to the “American Dream.”

During this time, we are humbly asking for support in order to strengthen our Student Union and ensure longevity and a legacy that stays alive for generations to come. This funding will help us be able to hold events that create safe spaces for students, as well as continue initiatives that actively advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.