This letter was hand-delivered to Pennsylvania State University President Eric J. Barron on December, 15th 2014. It included the first 81 names on this list. To add your name to the list of supporters, please fill out our contact form indicating your desire, name, and title to be included (please note, for this purpose, names are limited to the Penn State/State College community).
Our media-obsessed nation seems to be becoming paralyzed by fear, and more polarized on every issue—from politics or religion to sexuality, citizenship, or ethnicity. Individuals are routinely labeled as “friend” and accepted or “enemy” and dismissed or demonized. “Student protestor” vs. “University administrator.” “Law and order” vs. “anarchy.”
How refreshing and inspiring to see you courageously and humbly step out and take a silent, simple, yet profound step towards dismantling the fear, and to move towards reframing at least one conversation from “us” and “them” to “we.” We applaud your fearless leadership on this campus and in this community, unapologetically modeling a way to listen to others and treat them with dignity and respect. We pledge to continue to build on that foundation to protest against the crumbling of freedoms enshrined in the first amendment to our United States Constitution guaranteeing that there shall be
. . .no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Please know that you have our respect and gratitude.
The university is a place to learn: how important to be a place where everyone can tell their stories and be heard, and where they can listen.
- Fran Osseo-Asare, BETUMI
- Ben Wideman, 3rd Way Collective
- Eric Sauder, New Leaf Initiative
- Kwadwo Osseo-Asare
- Diana W. Malcom, Westminster Presbyterian Fellowship
- Serena Fulton, New Leaf Initiative
- Nathaniel Peters, Penn State Ice Rink
- Harold Robinson, IST PSU
- Galen Bernard, New Leaf Initiative
- Anneliese Nachman, Penn State Agriculture and Environment Ctr.
- Barbara Newell, New Leaf Initiative
- Jared Yarnall-Shane
- Jay Searles, New Leaf
- Rosita Derstine
- Leland Glenna
- Elizabeth Goreham, Mayor
- Joel Weidner, Penn State Finance and Business
- Gloria Horst Rosenberger
- Susan Kennedy
- Andrew Kreider
- Marv Friesen
- Pia Small
- Sarah Q. Malone, Interfaith Initiative Centre County
- Rick Stehouwer
- Cathy Pierce
- Gladys E. Keener
- Carl S. Keener, Retired Faculty Member
- Alicia Anderson, Lutheran Campus Ministry at Penn State
- Esther Prins
- Karl Bartsch
- Shane Miller
- Rogers McLane
- Evelyn Bartsch
- Kayla Shelton-Burleigh, Black Caucus 2nd Vice President
- Mark T. Greenberg, Bennett Chair of Prevention Research, College of Health & Human Development
- Jada Hill, President, Black Caucus
- Abiola Ajibola, President, Iota Phi Theta
- Jennifer Massenat, VP/PR Raw Aesthetic Movements
- Briana Adams, President, Multicultural Undergrad. Law Assoc.
- Charisma Ricksy, President, Student Minority Advisory and Recruitment Team
- Serge Gaba, President, Alpha Phi Alpha
- Timothy VanBeverhoudt, President Unity Church Campus Ministry
- Genevieve Logerie, 1st Vice President, Black Caucus
- Kenneth Allen, President, National Assoc. of Black Accountants
- Bryant K. Obeng, Political Action Chair, NAACP
- Ruth Parrish Sauder
- Brandi Wesley, President, LOCKS (Loving Our Curly, Kinky, and Straight Hair)
- Michael Banks, Sankofa Chair of Black Caucus
- Aaliyah Burroughs, President Multicultural Women’s Forum
- Chardonnay Levi, Vice President, Unity Church Campus Ministry
- Cecile King, President, Diversity Ambassadors
- Ashley Wilson, President, Black Student Union
- Terrell Finner, President, National Pan-Hellenic Council
- Darryl Blakey, President, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources & Related Sciences
- Kierra Nocho, Vice President, Natl. Council of Negro Women; President Ashe Theatre Company
- Jerrie Johnson, Project Cahir-Cahir Corps, W.O.R.D.S
- Damon Raynor, President, Raw Aesthetic Movements
- Aunte Margie Obeng, President, African Students Association
- Dwayne Bailey, President, Penn State NAACP Chapter
- Khadija Bingham, Vice President, LOCKS (Loving Our Curly, Kinky, and Straight Hair)
- Laura Dell’Olio
- Carissa Heine, student
- Paul MCCormick, PSU alum
- Jessica McCormick
- James L. Rosenberger
- Meredith Wideman
- Joy Miller
- Ieva Perkons
- Naomi Smith
- Mary Derstein
- Alison Gernand, Asst. Prof. Penn State
- Elaine Mercer
- Laura Chapman
- Harold McKenzie
- Doug Miller
- Ken Kline Smeltzer
- Bonnie Kline Smeltzer
- Karen Brandes
- Cricket Eccleston Hunter, PAIPL
- Jonthan Abu, Political Actions Chair, Penn State NAACP Chapter
- Sheryl-Amber B. Edmondson, Pres. Penn State Section, Natl. Council of Negro Women, Inc.;Treasurer, Keep A Child Alive
- Kathleen Stehouwer
- Mark Kissling
- Erica Frankenberg
- Pastor Harold McKenzie
- Beth Bradley, Assistant Director, Center for Spiritual & Ethical Development
- Daphne Weider, President, PSU Fair Trade
- Robin Romine
- Kathleen Danley
- Alex Hagen, Graduate Student, Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Shannon J. Telenko, Academic Adviser, Department of Psychology
- Rebecca Wilson Lundin
- Claudia Wilson
- Anne Elrod Whitney, Associate Professor of Education
- Ellen Campbell
- Hollis G. Zelinsky, Penn State Employee
- Naana Nti
- Phil Jones, State College Presbyterian Church Mission Associate
- Douglas Yoder
- Vonda Yoder
UPDATE: On December 15th, President Barron responded to the signees with this letter –