Adler University President Raymond E. Crossman, Ph.D., addresses the recent killing of Adam Toledo and the need to act against systemic racism and police brutality, in a message to Chicago and Online students, faculty, and staff.

I’m writing you at the start of this week to address yet another killing at the hands of the police – this time in Chicago. On March 29, a police officer shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Little Village, a predominantly Latinx neighborhood on the city’s West Side.

The video released late last week that brought this violence to light comes as the nation continues to mourn the loss of Black and Brown people to acts of violence and oppression. And it comes when many people of color are not just losing trust in the police, but fearing them while walking on the street, driving in their cars, or simply living in their homes. As we wait for the verdict in the trial of the police officer who killed George Floyd, we want justice for Floyd’s family – and we want the same for Adam Toledo.

As Adlerians, we must act to address the systemic racism and police brutality that is plaguing our cities. We are reminded to come together to challenge this culture of violence and continue our work to create a more just society.

I know many of us are struggling to make sense of the senseless and to understand this terrible tragedy. I offer a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.”

Nothing can completely heal the grief and loss that this killing has caused his family and our communities, but we can redouble our efforts as Adlerians to bring our values to work and take care of one another.