Several virtual Zoom events hosted by CUNY campuses were the targets of hateful attacks by individuals who infiltrated the online forums and posted racist, White supremacist messages and images. The events included campus celebrations of Black History Month.
Matos Rodríguez, chancellor of the City University of New York issued the following statement regarding these bias attacks on virtual diversity events:
“I am both saddened and angered by the pain and trauma these vile attacks have caused our students, faculty, and staff. We tend to delineate online forums and events as ‘virtual,’ but make no mistake: These despicable attacks were brutally real and carry the potential to cause lasting, substantial damage. We condemn the actors and their acts, but we also must do all in our power to counteract the culture and climate that give rise to this abhorrent behavior. As a University community, it is our mission to condemn hatred, champion diversity, and celebrate the contributions of all peoples and groups of goodwill, not only during Black History Month but every day of the year.”
