WE NEED TO KNOW

On February 25, 2021, The Dean of Faculty’s Office at Pitzer College intervened in the MANIFESTO submission process to reject “WE NEED TO KNOW” and ask the student artist to remove trustee Fairbairn’s name and resubmit. After one week of unrelenting pressure, and the threat of student demonstration, Pitzer College Art Galleries published the work. That day, students held an action at the College Council meeting in resistance to BlackRock and in solidarity with those oppressed, locally and globally. Trustee Fairbairn and BlackRock finance and profit off evil industries, and Pitzer College, by having a BlackRock executive on the board, and using a BlackRock ETF in the endowment, is complicit.

THE GLOBAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF BLACKROCK INC.

Top Row (left to right): Larry Fink (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer), Rob Kapito (President), Sir Robert W. Fairbairn (Vice Chairman and Pitzer College Trustee), Philipp Hildebrand (Vice Chairman), Gary Shedlin (Chief Financial Officer)

Second Row: Rob L. Goldstein (Chief Operating Officer), Ben Golub (Chief Risk Officer)

Third Row: Mark McCombe (Chief Client Officer), Frank Cooper III (Chief Marketing Officer)

Fourth Row: Christopher Meade (Chief Legal Officer), Salim Ramji (Global Head of iShares and Index Investments)

Fifth Row: Manish Mehta (Global Head of Human Resources), Derek Stein (Global Head of Technology & Operations)

Sixth Row: Edwin N. Conway (Global Head of BlackRock Alternative Investors), Sudhir Nair (Global Head of the Aladdin Business)

Bottom Row: Sandy Boss (Global Head of Investment Stewardship), J. Richard Kushel (Head of the Portfolio Management Group), Mark K. Wiedman (Head of International and of Corporate Strategy), Rachel Lord (Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa), Martin Small (Head of U.S. Wealth Advisory). 

FACULTY SILENCE IS VIOLENCE

ESG is Greenwashing

BlackRock’s Evil Has No Place at Pitzer

Killing the Black Snake

This artwork is dedicated to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all peoples resisting BlackRock’s evil investments. It was inspired by the artwork Kill the Black Snake by @onion_head.
Past Evil’s GateTrespassing at the Largest US Migrant Concentration/Torture Camp

The video above, Past Evil’s Gate: Trespassing at the Largest US Migrant Concentration/Torture Camp, could potentially be traumatic to watch for some as it mentions (in text) death, sexual abuse, racism, medical negligence. Adelanto ICE Processing is owned and operated by The GEO Group Inc. a private company that systematically concentrates undocumented people into inhumane camps the US and subjects them to horrific physical and psychological torturous conditions, indefinitely. BlackRock Inc. invests in GEO Group and perpetuates this racist, violent, evil industry. Pitzer College invests $75 Million into a BlackRock fund that Pitzer advertises as socially responsible, yet it possibly has holdings in private prisons and migrant detention. Pitzer accepted donations from BlackRock Vice Chairman Robert Fairbairn and invited him to the board of Trustees. In Spring 2021, Fairbairn resigned after over a year of organized pressure. The Pitzer community must support full divestment from BlackRock and GEO Group.

Sources:
https://www.vvdailypress.com/article/20140226/NEWS/302269990?template=ampart
https://www.vvdailypress.com/article/20131125/NEWS/311259989
https://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/sites/default/files/reports/CIVIC%20DWN%20Adelanto%20Report.pdf
https://laist.com/news/sexual-assault-claims-immigrant-detention
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/06/adelanto-death-immigration-detention-geo/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/06/refugees-detention-begin-hunger-strike/
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-adelanto-oig-20181002-story.html
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/04/10/ice-released-detainee-while-he-was-in-a-coma-weeks-before-his-death/
https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/post/there-is-no-safety-here-the-dangers-for-people-with-mental-illness-and-other-disabilities-at
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2019/12/20/ice-signs-long-term-contracts-private-detention-centers-two-weeks-ahead-state-law/2713910001/
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/15/794660949/despite-findings-of-negligent-care-ice-to-expand-troubled-calif-detention-center
https://prospect.org/justice/hunger-striking-ice-detainees-demand-coronavirus-answers/
https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2020/immigrants-in-detention-facilities-at-risk-of-toxic-chemical-exposure-according-to-newly-compiled-research
https://www.vice.com/en/article/3an9mb/biden-homestead-migrant-children-detention-center-superfund
https://laist.com/news/ice-adelanto-detention-center-covid-19-outbreak-coronavirus
https://www.sbsun.com/2021/03/22/detainee-who-pleaded-for-release-from-ice-immigration-center-in-adelanto-dies-from-covid-19/#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20Jose%20Luis%20Ibarra,released%20him%20to%20avoid%20accountability.


Citizen

Kenneth Butler is a student in the Pitzer College Inside-Out Program at California Rehabilitation Center. He is an avid reader, a student of life, an abolitionist, and a feminist. His goals in life are to dismantle all systems of oppression and to contribute to the creation a society where everyone is appreciated. His manifesto is an attempt to shed some light on the issue of status in this society.


A Manifesto for Social Justice Around the World

A Manifesto for Social Justice Around the World was created by students in the First Year Seminar taught by Professor Leah Herman in 2020: Yuki Bannai, Krishna Narayan Chaudhary, Hoang Chu, Puttisan Mukneam, Edward Shi, Diana Vicezar, Wenyan Wang, and Haoyue Zhang

No Life

Austin Dowd, No Life, 2020, in association with U.S. Politics: Resistance and Transformation, taught by Professor and Associate Dean Adrian Pantoja.

Austin Dowd ’24 draws a link between anti-racism and anti-capitalism in his manifesto, No Life. Dowd writes that his manifesto depicts “…the constant push that capitalism has forced upon marginalized groups in the United States, and yet the fact that the United States could not survive without these groups, which has been extremely evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.”


Justice/Injustice

Lilly Preis, Justice/Injustice, 2020, in association with U.S. Politics: Resistance and Transformation, taught by Professor and Associate Dean Adrian Pantoja. Photo Credit: MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MAY 26: Protestors march on Hiawatha Avenue while decrying the killing of George Floyd on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd was killed yesterday while in the custody of Minneapolis Police. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Processed with VSCO with b1 preset

Lilly Preis ’24 created her manifesto in response to the killings of Black people by police in 2020. She writes, “Black people are killed at disproportionate rates given the fact that Black people make up approximately 13% of the U.S. population but are killed at twice the rate of white people in the United States. I used a photo taken by Stephen Maturen with Getty Images on May 26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the day after George Floyd was brutally murdered in the hands of police.” Preis is a student in Professor and Associate Dean Adrian Pantoja’s U.S. Politics: Resistance and Transformation class.


Women of Color Manifesto: We Deserve Better

By Raina Desai ’24 | December 3, 2020

As a woman of color, I have a responsibility to stand up for my people. We are one of the most undervalued groups within society, yet we act as the glue that holds our communities together. We constantly face bias and discrimination, stemming from racism, sexism, social stratification, and ethnic stereotypes. Women in general—but highly amplified among WOC—face a double standard: we must provide domestic care, but also participate in the workforce to support our families. Why aren’t men held to these same standards? Why is care work often viewed as a woman’s duty? We must change the way society views women of color—or better yet, the way society treats women of color. I know that I speak from a place of privilege, but I understand the everyday struggles that women of color face. I understand that we need change. By diversifying the population that performs care work, treating women of color the same as their white counterparts, and eliminating racial and gender stereotypes, we can create an equitable future for women of color. 

1. We must diversify the population that performs care work, as it should not be a burden that single-handedly falls on women of color. Historically speaking, enslaved African Americans served as our country’s care workers. Although slavery has been eradicated, care work still heavily falls within the black community, specifically among women. In fact, the top ten occupations held by women of color all fall within the realm of care work: maids, nurses, teachers, housekeepers, etc. Most of this work is unappreciated and undervalued, as these occupations are classified as low-income. Mothers of low-income families—which are disproportionately women of color—are often the sole breadwinners for their families. In fact, 67.5 percent of Black mothers are the primary breadwinners for their families. Women of color are held to this impossible double standard; they perform underpaid care work, but are also expected to earn a living wage to support their families. We must change the way society views care work and those who perform it. Care work is what holds our communities together, maintains our health and well-being, and ensures the reproduction of our communities. We must destigmatize care work; we shouldn’t look down on something that’s so essential to our maintenance and health. It shouldn’t be a duty solely placed on women of color. Care work is such an important tool for maintaining our communities, but it shouldn’t just fall on a small subset of our population. We must diversify the population of care workers to include our white counterparts—both men and women. And better yet, we need to place more value on these workers and all that they do to support our communities. 

2. Women of color need to be treated the same as their white counterparts, especially on a basis of earnings and economic stability. Women of color experience the most severe wage gap in America. In fact, women of color typically earn 63 cents for every dollar paid to white men, while white women typically earn 79 cents for every dollar paid to white men. While both women of color and their white counterparts earn less than white men, the first step in eliminating this gender wage gap is focusing on the racial disparity among women. White women earn 16 more cents than women of color—and while this may not seem like much—it can make all the difference when trying to pay for food, education, healthcare, etc. Economic stability should not be dependent on the color of your skin. This racial wage gap is infuriating, especially considering the fact that many Black mothers are the primary breadwinners for their families, while white mothers are typically not. All women need to be treated equally, regardless of where they came from or what they look like. Women of color should have the same opportunities as their white counterparts. 

3. We must eliminate the racial and gender stereotypes surrounding women of color. Women of color are often viewed as less qualified than their white and male counterparts within all aspects of life. This false pretense stems from racial and gender stereotypes surrounding women of color: unsophisticated, uneducated, poor, submissive, impotent, weak—just to name a few. In this day and age, it’s shocking that racial and gender stereotypes still exist. These stereotypes are psychologically and emotionally detrimental, affecting an individual’s self-esteem, self-worth, and well-being. In countering racial and gender stereotypes, women of color should be able to share their stories and experiences without being labeled. We must change the way society views women of color, as many of these stereotypes lay far from the truth. We must change the way society treats women of color, especially in the workplace. Race and gender are not indicators of an individual’s skills, ability, and success. Women of color deserve to be treated for who they are—not what people make them out to be.

We deserve better.We deserve to have access to opportunities outside of the realm of care work. We deserve to be treated the same as our white counterparts. We deserve to work, eat, shop, and go about our lives without being labeled by racial and gender stereotypes. Women of color play such a vital role in caring for our communities, yet their work often goes unnoticed. Women of color have been victimized by racism and sexism for far too long. This needs to change. If the color of your skin or gender has entitled you to more, please check your privilege. Many of us—namely women of color—are still fighting for our rights. Join us in our fight for justice and equality. Because we deserve better


A Community Manifesto

https://youtu.be/Jd11Fcd8ueQ

This community manifesto was created and performed by the students in the Manifesto workshop held jointly in the First Year Seminars, Radical Care, taught by Professor Andrea Scott, and Tongue-in-Cheek: Humor in Art and Visual Culture, taught by Professor Tim Berg.


I-soul-8

Freddy Cisneros, I-soul-8, 2020, digital manifesto, created for Professor Barbara Junisbai’s ORST100, Organizational Theory for incarcerated students at the California Rehabilitation Center

Freddy Cisneros is a 40 year old male of Mexican descent. He has been incarcerated for over 10 years in state prison, and will be released soon. He is attending Pitzer College and will be graduating with a B.A. in Organizational Studies.

“I chose to make this ‘manifesto’ to convey the way I feel. Using letters and numbers, my intent is to convey the message: Isolate. For many years I have been by myself, keeping my mind, will, and emotions to myself and now due to Covid-19 the world can finally relate to my sense of isolation.”

Freddy Cisneros

Pitzer College Black Student Union Address:

How Pitzer can support the success of their Black students


Administrative Response

President Melvin L. Oliver’s acknowledgment and initial response to the Pitzer College Black Student Union Address, October 6, 2020: https://www.pitzer.edu/president/mid-semester-updates/#bsu

President Melvin L. Oliver’s response to the Pitzer College Black Student Union Address, October 19, 2020: https://www.pitzer.edu/president/response-to-the-pitzer-college-black-student-union-address/


Works Cited

ACE Board of Directors. On the Importance of Diversity in Higher Education. American Council on Education, www.acenet.edu/Documents/BoardDiversityStatement-June2012.pdf.

Flaherty, Colleen. Study: Concept of Faculty Fit in Hiring Is Vague and Potentially Detrimental to Diversity Efforts , 14 July 2020, www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/07/14/study-concept-faculty-fit-hiring-vague-and-potentially-detrimental-diversity-efforts.

GREGOR AISCH, LARRY BUCHANAN. “Economic Diversity and Student Outcomes at Pitzer.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 18 Jan. 2017, www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/pitzer-college.

Haskins, Julia. “Campus Sexual Violence: Working to End It Together: CDC Strategies Benefit Schools, Students.” The Nation’s Health , American Public Health Association, 1 Apr. 2018, thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/48/2/S1.1.

Ochoa, Gilda L., and Pineda, Daniela. “Deconstructing Power, Privilege, and Silence in the Classroom.” Radical History Review, Duke University Press, 1 Jan. 2008, read.dukeupress.edu/radical-history-review/article-abstract/2008/102/45/22139/Deconstructing-Power-Privilege-and-Silence-in-the.

Thornhill, Ted. “We Want Black Students, Just Not You: How White Admissions Counselors Screen Black Prospective Students – Ted Thornhill, 2019.” SAGE Journals , 5 Sept. 2018, journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2332649218792579.

Black Student Union 1968-69

Student Demands that the Claremont Colleges Black Student Union made in 1968-9.


AMERIKA’S DEATH BUSINESS

Reggie Bullock, Amerika’s Death Business, 2020, mixed media, created for Professor Barbara Junisbai’s ORST100, Organizational Theory for incarcerated students at the California Rehabilitation Center

Reggie Bullock drew inspiration for this piece from his personal life. Having experienced growing up in group homes, juvenile facilities, jails, and—for the past 16 years—prisons, he wanted to convey the historical aspects that these types of facilities breed with the term “social death,” borrowed from sociologist Orlando Patterson. The artist aims to show how the inhumane procedures, policies, and layers of the carceral state are falsely presented to the American public in the guise of rehabilitation. The reality, however, is the financial reaping by the prison-industrial complex off the social, physical, and sometimes deadly punishment of those who fill these facilities: American Citizens. Excited to learn and eager to reenter society, Reggie awaits the chance to be a part the community and give back through transformative and collaborative healing and practices. He is currently a student in Professor Barbara Junisbai’s Organizational Theory for incarcerated students at the California Rehabilitation Center.