Once again, we are reminded of the
death, destruction, and suffering borne out of white supremacy and white
nationalism. This time the neighborhood under assault was not some
far-off community in Texas, Michigan, or California, but rather a
community in our own backyard – Buffalo, New York. The unsuspecting
targets of this latest racist hate crime were everyday folks going about
their everyday existence in a local supermarket. The people who call the
predominantly Black neighborhood on the East Side of Buffalo home were
targeted at the Tops Supermarket and singled out because they were Black.
Cornell Cooperative Extension strongly denounces this past Saturday’s
racist hate crime in which 10 people were murdered and three others
wounded in one of the only grocery stores on Buffalo’s East Side. We
extend our condolences to the families of those gunned down by an
18-year-old white man with a heart filled with hate and a mind consumed
with the poison of white supremacy and racism. And while our hearts and
prayers are with all of those impacted by this heinous act of violence,
we recognize that hearts and prayers alone will not counteract the
disease of white supremacy and racism intent on eliminating Black lives,
Black excellence, and Black joy.
It is with a deep understanding of the impact of the latter that we will
continue to challenge the racist rhetoric, fearmongering, and
scapegoating that fueled this deadly assault. We will continue to
actively undo the living legacy of white supremacy and its day-to-day manifestations
through our ongoing anti-racist work as an organization. It is through
the challenging work of transforming hearts and minds, behaviors, and
holding ourselves accountable to communities of color, that we will
uproot white supremacy, dismantle structural racism, and achieve
long-lasting change rooted in dignity, respect, and equity for all
members of our community. We exhort all CCE staff to actively engage with
and contribute to our ongoing efforts to create a beloved community of
relationship, dialogue, and understanding.
We are currently working with the College of Agriculture and Life Science
(CALS), Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County and Niagara County
to coordinate food distribution efforts to individuals in the East
Buffalo neighborhood impacted by this tragedy.
Below, we honor the memory of the victims of this hate crime by sharing
the names of those who died as provided by Peace of
the City. Please also find resources on how we can support
the community of East Buffalo, increase awareness and understanding of
the dynamics that contributed to this racist mass shooting – including
resources for talking with children, and opportunities to take immediate
action:
Aaron Salter
Jr., 55
A retired police lieutenant who spent decades with the Buffalo Police
Department. While working as a security guard at the Tops store, he
engaged the shooter's assault weapon with his handgun.
Ruth Whitfield,
86
Was shopping at the Tops store when she was shot and killed. Her
daughter, Robin, described her mother as her best friend.
Pearl Young, 77
Was grocery shopping after grabbing lunch with her sister-in-law when she
was shot and killed.
Katherine 'Kat'
Massey, 72
A civil rights and education advocate.
Roberta A.
Drury, 32
Moved back to Buffalo to help her brother recover from a bone marrow
transplant necessary to beat his cancer.
Heyward
Patterson, 67
A deacon at a Buffalo church and had gone to a soup kitchen before going
to the Tops store. Pastor Russell Bell of State Tabernacle Church of God
in Christ said Bell cleaned the church and would do whatever was needed.
Celestine
Chaney, 65
A breast cancer survivor, which is prompting her family to ask people to
wear pink ribbons in her honor. She shopped twice a month with her only
son, Wayne Jones.
Andre Mackneil,
53
From Auburn, New York, and was in town visiting relatives and was picking
up a surprise birthday cake for his grandson.
Geraldine
Talley, 62
Worked as an executive assistant for years; "loved everybody"
and was an amazing sister, mother, and aunt.
Margus D.
Morrison, 52
A father of three and Buffalo Public School bus aide.
Additional
Resources:
Support
Immediate Local Action (Provided by the Clean Air Coalition of Western NY):
-
Clean
Air will be assisting to organize mutual aid where it
is needed and will post updates on how folks can act in solidarity.
If you are a Clean Air Member and you need aid at this time, please
reach out to us at (716) 852-3813, extension 100.
- If you are in need of
immediate mental health and/or grief counseling, please see Black
Love Resists in the Rust’s growing list of resources below.
- If you would like to
donate to the ongoing fund to support people with mental health and
food resources organized by BLRR and
Colored Girls Bike Too, please
click this link.
- If you would like to
donate to BLRR to
resource their powerful work, please
click here.
- If you are white and
wanting to take action to build a powerful anti-racist movement for
collective liberation, please
click here to join Showing Up for Racial Justice’s
email list.
- Drop-in center at the
Johnnie B. Wiley Center, 1100 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo from
9am-9pm. Everyone is welcome.
- Grab food or donate food
(no perishable meat) from the Buffalo Community Fridge at 257
East Ferry St.
- Buffalo Creek Academy,
(716) 217-2661, is offering to pick up groceries and drop them off
to folks in the community near tops.
Support
Long-Term Change
Black-Led
Buffalo Organizations Ending Food Apartheid and Violence
Buffalo
Food Justice Advocates and Partners Call for End to White Supremacy and
Anti-Blackness
Learn More
What is
the 'Great Replacement' and how is it tied to the Buffalo shooting
suspect?
Letters
from an American – Heather Cox Richardson
Race: The
Power of An Illusion – The Story We Tell (Episode 2) and The House We
Live In (Episode 3)
The Shadow
of Hate
Talk with
Children:
Talking to
Kids About Racism and Violence, from Child Mind Institute
Resources
for Talking About Race, Racism and Racialized Violence with Kids from
the Center for Racial Justice in Education
Sincerely,
Chris
Chris B. Watkins
Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Associate Dean of College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and College
of Human Ecology
366 Roberts Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
Telephone 607-255-8546
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