Dear CCA Community,

Recently, our nation has witnessed a deluge of disturbing acts of violence that sadly are becoming all too familiar in our everyday lives. In the past few weeks alone, we’ve witnessed attacks against Jewish lives at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh; against black lives in Jeffersontown, Kentucky; against transgender, genderqueer, gender nonconforming, and intersex lives by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; against immigrant and undocumented lives by the nation’s President; and against women’s lives at the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh. Throughout all of these events, our sense of citizenship is being torn apart by alarming partisan politics, and the hard work our society has done to fight for equity and equality seems to be unraveling before our very eyes.

In times like these, we urge you to support and care for one another. We also encourage you to look around. Our community at CCA is in itself a beacon of hope and inspiration.

Our college is made up of creative and passionate students, faculty, alumni, and staff who recognize our responsibility to promote social justice and create a culture that advances humanity instead of setting it back. We are committed to inclusivity, equality, and the power of our work to radically impact societal transgressions and engage in civic discourse. Two months into our fall semester, we have already witnessed these values in action. Members of our community have worked together to create a movement on campus that raises awareness about our rights and the ways we can use our voices. They have organized voter registration booths, transformed CCA into a polling location, and promoted town halls, exhibitions, and events.

Our next election is a week away; now is the time to use your voice and act. For those of you who can vote, we encourage you to do so. For those of you who are denied access to the ballot box or do not hold that privilege, we encourage you to use your voice in every other way that you can. Engage with these issues in your studios, classrooms, and hallways. Engage with these issues in your art, design, and written word. Join events organized by our community.

We also encourage you to take care of yourselves. If you or another student is in distress, please use the CCA Cares form to help get the care and support that’s needed. Our Employee Assistance Program provider, Claremont, also has resources for benefits-eligible employees that may be helpful, including free, confidential in-person counseling sessions and online resources.

In challenging times like these, we feel fortunate to be amidst all of you. Thank you for the work you do every day to uphold the college’s values and for being such important contributors to our culture.

Sincerely,

Stephen Beal, President and Tammy Rae Carland, Provost