Statement of Solidarity from the WSRC

June 11, 2020

A Message from the WSRC Board, Staff, Director and the Director-Designate

As the country and the world condemn the brutal murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, we feel pain and outrage… and we are reminded of our responsibilities. The intertwined pandemics of anti-black violence and COVID-19 call us to listen to the voices of black people, to honor the experiences of communities of color, and to summon the moral courage to act on what we hear and learn. 

We are heartened by the vast uprising of people in communities across the U.S., and indeed the world, to protest, organize, and demand an end to police violence. While we share the determination and hope that change is within reach, we know that abiding justice can only be won through continuing, persistent action. 

The educators, researchers, artists, staff, and board of the WSRC embrace the Brandeis entire community’s commitment to social justice.  As the current and future leaders of the WSRC, we accept the challenge of learning and doing more to address the deep racial inequities laid bare in this moment.  We renew our commitment – as expressed in our current focus on voting rights and citizenship – to shed light on people’s ongoing struggles for enfranchisement and power.  

Finally, we invite inquiry and ideas from Brandeis and from the wider community on how to further our efforts on racial justice. We welcome your wisdom and insight.  As we have always done, we will continue to share resources for learning and mobilization, such as this webinar on Friday, June 12 at noon, “America’s Racial Reckoning: Black Lives and Black Futures in Historical, Political and Legal Context,” a panel with Brandeis faculty Chad Williams, Anita Hill, Daniel Kryder, and Leah Wright Rigueur.

With gratitude and determination,

Karen V. Hansen                                                       Harleen Singh
Director, WSRC                                                       Director-Designate, WSRC

WSRC National Board of Advisors 
Cynthia L. Berenson
Susan Goldberg
Miriam Hyman
Nori Kameda
Annette Liberman Miller
Ruth Nemzoff
Rachel Sagan
Barbara Z. Sander
Rosalie Shane, Co-Chair
Heidi Shear
Caitlin Smith
Rachel Winkeller
Austin Wertheimer
 
WSRC Staff
Aina Lagor
Catherine Longwell
Susan Metrican
Kristen Mullen
Abby Rosenberg

Cascading Lives: Stories of Loss, Resilience, & Resistance

The WSRC is delighted to announce that WSRC Director Dr. Karen V. Hansen and her co-investigator, Dr. Nazli Kibria of Boston University, have been awarded the Voices for Economic Opportunity Grand Challenge Grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Raikes Foundation. Their proposal, Cascading Lives: Stories of Loss, Resilience, & Resistance, was selected from 1,225 submissions and is one of 28 organizations from 18 states. Please view video here.

Innovative Research Into Gender and Women’s Issues
Working in the arts, humanities, and social sciences and at their intersections, the Brandeis Women’s Studies Research Center (WSRC) researchers and artists focus on vexing questions related to gender dynamics and inequalities. To illuminate the past and present, via empirical evidence and transcendent insight, the WSRC aims to construct a path to a more equitable future.
The WSRC acts as a nexus of three dynamic, integrated programs that operate on principles of interdisciplinary exchange and cross-generational partnership:
Suffrage and Citizenship

As the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment approaches, the Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Program, the Women’s Studies Research Center, and the Politics Department at Brandeis are celebrating women’s suffrage.

Brandeis Plans for Fall 2020

Brandeis will provide an on-campus residential experience for undergraduate students this fall, with classes held in person, remotely or through a combination of both methods. Our graduate schools will offer their classes in a hybrid format. Learn more about our plans for the fall 2020 semester.