Stan State’s Psychological Counseling Services department recently hosted a racial injustice dialogue event.

Stan State psychological counselors Susan Brummell and Lee Bettencourt spoke at the event, where they offered their counseling services to anybody that has been affected by the current events regarding racial injustice or has experienced racism.

In recent months, there have been many incidents of racism and social injustices going viral, such as the cases of Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks, who were both shot and killed by the police in 2020. The incident that truly sparked many social movements within the past year was the murder of George Floyd. With all of these incidents taking place in a short amount of time, it can definitely take a toll on students who can put themselves in the shoes of those being mistreated.

“All of these incidents can wear on people,  and it is very tiring seeing these situations reoccur,” said Bettencourt after being asked about how he feels about ongoing racial injustices. 
A recent event that was discussed in the group was the Derek Chauvin case. Chauvin was a police officer who was caught on camera placing his knee on Floyd’s neck, causing him to lose breathing circulation. Chauvin was recently convicted for second degree and third degree murder, as well as second degree manslaughter.
Brummell stated that she is saddened by the fact that she feels that “America is still not there yet, and justice has not been found for anybody.” She speaks in regard for those who have been victims of social injustices and have not been served the justice they deserve. A couple of other words that were used to describe feelings about the injustices were sadness, confusion and frustration. 
Students and the counselors from the event ask, “Is meaningful change going to happen? Is this change going to be permanent?”
These questions were asked because one of the students, who requested to remain anonymous, stated that they feel as if the world is constantly repeating itself. Students remembered the incident with Trayvon Martin from 2012 and how shocking it was. Bettencourt remembered how saddened and frustrated he was when he learned of the Trayvon Martin case and that a lot of the same emotions came back when the George Floyd incident occurred. 
There may be times when students want to take a stand against injustice, but are not too sure on how to do so. This event proposed many ways students might be able to help and not remain silent.
Bettencourt explained that students should “validate others and remind everybody that they are valued and respected.” 
Brummell shared that she offers help with her counseling services and is always available to talk to. Stan State also has many helpful resources on campus and on their website. You can either call at 209-667-3381 or visit the Psychological Counseling Services at https://www.csustan.edu/counseling.