GASPPA Statement on the Murder of George Floyd & Black Lives Matter

Members of the Graduate Association of Students in Public Policy & Administration (GASPPA) are shocked and appalled by the recent murders of Ahmaud Aubrey, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. We believe that all lives cannot matter until Black Lives Matter.

As policy students, we understand the work that goes into changing rules, regulations, and standards. The systemic and systematic racism that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) continue to face cannot be undone overnight. However, the work must start now.

As a student elected and led board, we commit to the following actions in an effort to elevate the voices of BIPOC students and leaders in Sacramento State's public policy and urban land development arena.

We commit to:

• Inviting a diverse panel of leaders in public policy, public administration, and urban land development when organizing GASPPA events.
• Supporting local community efforts in volunteerism, affordable housing, and public transportation.
• Encouraging voting at local and state levels through actions such as reminding people to register to vote and explaining propositions in layman’s terms.
• Recruiting a more diverse student cohort by actively engaging with BIPOC organizations at regional universities.
• Cultivating a safe space for questions, learning, and growth.

We ask for the Sacramento State MPPA/ULD community to continually hold us accountable. We will not discredit the fact that we should have been aware of these inequalities earlier, and we will focus on the changes we can make moving forward. To BIPOC students of past, present, and future: we hear you, we see you, and we stand with you.

Kindly,
GASPPA 2020-2021