I want to apologize on behalf of the Diversity Affairs Council for the time it has taken us to formally address the student body since the public release of the Jason Stockley verdict. As many of you may know, on the morning of Friday, Sept. 15, a verdict was issued on the State of Missouri vs. Jason Stockley case. Charged with “murder in the first degree and armed criminal action for the shooting and death of Anthony Smith following a high speed pursuit on city streets,” the courts found Stockley not guilty on both charges due to a lack of evidence. This decision was made despite the fact that Stockley’s fingerprints were the only ones found on the weapon, and there was a video in evidence that had Stockley saying he was “going to kill this motherf—-, don’t you know it.” In the verdict, the judge was noted saying that “an urban heroin dealer not in possession of a firearm would be an anomaly.” Even with evidence that one would think was incriminating enough, and with the judge’s open bias shown through his statement, justice was not served.

As a member of the black community at Washington University, the events of this weekend have hit very close to home, and it was a priority for me to take care of myself and my community first. That said, I want the student body to know that the Diversity Affairs Council is here as a resource for you. It is our priority to make sure that the student body knows we are here to listen to your concerns and work with other entities in Student Union to take actions toward change.

For those of you looking to educate yourself on the details of the Stockley case and the protests that followed, we want to warn you to look out for media bias. Be a critical reader and attempt to get the full story through multiple sources, real time footage and personal accounts from people who were involved. Take all the facts into consideration when you are engaging in discourse with your peers.

It is unfortunate that the black community of St. Louis has had so little time to recover from the events that followed the shooting of Michael Brown on Aug. 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Mo., before being struck with yet another example of the harmful effects of systemic racism in America. It is important to recognize how this event has affected, and is still affecting, your peers. Educate yourselves, be respectful and speak up when you recognize injustice.

It wasn’t until this weekend that I realized the impact I can have this year as the chair of the Diversity Affairs Council. As a black woman at Wash. U., I can understand the daily struggle of feeling unsupported on our campus as a black student. It is undeniable that events of this nature take an emotional and physical toll on our black students. Wash. U. needs to do a better job of providing resources to its students, rather than making students seek them out. I just want to let you all know that someone going through the same thing as you is trying to push for more available resources and greater representation of our voices.

In solidarity and on behalf of the Diversity Affairs Council,

Joy Korley