Response to Chauvin Trial Verdict

April 21, 2021

Dear DePauw Faculty, Staff and Students,

I write to you tonight following the Derek Chauvin trial verdict to share deeply personal feelings. I am married to an African-American, have nephews and uncles and many other African-American men I consider members of my extended family. I desperately long for them to live in a world that values their lives and the lives of every person, regardless of race.

I know many of us share immense relief and a strong sense of release of pent-up anxiety surrounding the guilty-on-all-counts verdict of the trial -- along with gratitude to the members of the jury who endured a gut-wrenching trial and repeated viewings of traumatic video.

This verdict does not mean that I, or any one of us, must accept the structures and systems that continue to devalue African-American lives nor ignore the statistics that show African Americans are not treated equitably by the police. It also does not mean that all police officers are bad people; far from it. There are many members of my family who are in law enforcement and I respect the men and women who honorably serve our communities. What we must never accept is unjustifiable police violence against those officers are sworn to protect.

Tomorrow, April 21, we will provide spaces for students and staff and faculty members to process and share their feelings, or just listen and be in community with one another at these events:

• A faculty panel discussion at 8:30 p.m. to examine the outcome from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary lenses. All are welcome and a Zoom link will be sent tomorrow.

• The Center for Spiritual Life is offering a virtual healing service; please join for prayer, words of healing and peace at 11 a.m. tomorrow on Zoom.

Please keep in your thoughts the family of George Floyd; they have suffered more than anyone during this tragedy and yet they have had the grace to implore us to be peaceful as we remember his name.  

When I talked with many of you and my own loved ones -- about George Floyd, the more recent, tragic deaths of Adam Toledo and Daunte Wright, and so many more -- I know much pain remains. We know the importance in our community of supporting one another, as we have always done, in the aftermath of what has been an incredibly difficult time. With this verdict, and with each other, there is also hope. 

From my heart, 

Lori S. White
President