Kansas University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs issued the following statement this morning in response to Wednesday’s deadly shootings of nine black men and women at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C.

It is with heavy hearts that we issue
this statement regarding the violence
at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston,
South Carolina last night. This act
resulted in the loss of 9 lives and
unspeakable hurt across the nation. We
know that many of you may be in pain
and we invite you to visit our office
today, at any point, to speak with any
of our staff members. Additionally, we
will hold a community gathering at
12:15 in the SMRC lobby. This informal,
unstructured time will be a space for
reflection, conversation and
meditation. A representative from
Counseling & Psychological Services
(CAPS) will be available during that
time for anyone that would like to
speak with a counselor.

As we move through the coming hours,
days, weeks and months, please know
the OMA is an affirming space for you
to share your feelings and have
critical conversation. The cumulative
impact of this year weighs heavy, and
we hope that we can provide a space
for you to rest your burden, if only
for a little while.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs is located inside the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center, 1299 Oread Ave., next to the Kansas Union.