September 18, 2023
Dear members of the Medford/Somerville campus,
This is not the type of message that I had envisioned starting the new academic year with, but unfortunately, I am writing today to address recent actions that have caused distress in our community.
As some of you no doubt are aware already, over the weekend unknown parties painted graffiti on the cannon, which earlier had been painted by first-year students as part of Africana Center programming. Though painting over messages on the cannon after an appropriate amount of time has elapsed is part of the tradition, the manner in which the work was destroyed caused harm and outrage among our Black community. Additionally, the graffiti that was affixed to the cannon was potentially anti-Asian, causing harm to members of our Asian/Asian American communities. When incidents of this kind occur, we all suffer, because our aspiration of being a welcoming community for all is undermined.
There is still much information that we don’t know about the incident. Public Safety and OEO are actively investigating the incident, and if we learn there has been a violation of policy, we will hold individuals accountable. I advise members of the community to refrain from engaging in divisive speculation, of which there has been a lot, about the identity of the party or parties responsible and their motivation.
But regardless of whether there is a formal violation of our policies, there are a number of lessons that we can—and should—take from this incident. Just because you can say (or, in this case, paint) something, it doesn’t mean you should. It’s important to consider not just what you intend to say but how it may be received by members of our community. Tufts thrives most when we respect the many perspectives and viewpoints that make us a dynamic and vibrant community of communities. And when we disagree, we should do so with respect and curiosity. This is particularly important in diverse communities such as Tufts. Creating a community of belonging is about recognizing and seeing our diverse perspectives and backgrounds as an asset and an institutional strength.
For years, painting the cannon with messages has been a part of Tufts’ tradition. The cannon serves as a free speech platform for students to promote and commemorate events or to express their points of view on topics relevant to our community or broader society. This should be celebrated. But it’s important to note that typically groups or individuals associated with a message will make clear who they are in order to take responsibility for their statements. In this instance, that did not happen and so rather than fostering a conversation, the messages simply caused damage and harm.
Please know that I have been in conversations with university leadership, the Africana and Asian American Student Centers directors and their teams along with Student Life, OEO, Public Safety, and other campus partners to discuss next steps and strategies we can take across the university in response and to continue to demonstrate our care and support of all members of our community. In the coming days, we will share more information about community events on solidarity and ongoing initiatives focused on inclusive dialogues and practices. Thank you for your valuable partnership in this work.
As we move forward together, throughout this year as a community, I encourage us to use our voices and platforms thoughtfully to uplift others; that we think before we act; and that we continue to hold each other accountable for creating a community where we all can thrive.
In solidarity,
Monroe
Monroe France
Vice Provost for DEIJ
Professor of the Practice, Tisch College
