2016 Election Statement from A/P/A

It has been an incredibly difficult few weeks.

Due to the current atmosphere that has resulted from the election and the transition of power to an administration whose members have openly and publicly announced their agenda of political intimidation and policies that will directly affect a number of minoritized groups in the US and globally, we are asking ourselves foundational questions about our role on this campus and in the world. As a staff, we find ourselves concerned about students, faculty, and our communities—many of whom identify as people of color, LGBTQ, disabled, Indigenous, refugee, Black, undocumented, women, Muslim, immigrant.

In this moment, we recommit ourselves to solidarity. We recommit ourselves to being an Institute that offers a platform and space for community building, scholarship, art, and political organizing both on and off campus. We recommit ourselves to being responsive to the needs of students, faculty, and our communities, while providing much needed historical, cultural, and political context and analysis to better understand our current moment.

For the coming months, we have decided that we will direct our energies and funds to organizing a series of gatherings, teach-ins, working sessions, and skills-building workshops (including de-escalation and bystander intervention trainings) to build alternatives on and off campus. If you have ideas, would like to collaborate, or lead a training, please email apa.rsvp@nyu.edu.  We look forward to working with you, and to moving towards a more just and inclusive future.

A/P/A Institute at NYU