A Statement About the Tragedy at Club Q
By now we are all too well aware of this weekend’s mass shooting that killed at least five people and injured at least 25 others at Club Q, a club for the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado Springs, Colorado. That this horrific attack happened just hours before the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of those lost to anti-transgender violence, is particularly cruel.
Northeast College of Health Sciences condemns these acts of violence and stands firmly in support of and solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community members. Together we grieve for those whose lives were taken far too soon, as well as for those injured and whose lives have changed forever.
I am deeply saddened that I’ve had to share messages like this one far too often in the recent past. Saturday’s tragedy follows a horrible history of other senseless acts of hate, such as the 2016 shooting at the nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice reports that 1 in 5 of all reported hate crime is now motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias. We must – as future and current healers, as a community of learning, and as ethical individuals – work to clearly and loudly reject these hate-filled beliefs and actions, at all levels.
While we mourn these tragic losses in Colorado and elsewhere, I also want to acknowledge that many in our local community may feel afraid and alone. Please know: you are seen, heard and valued. We stand in unity, as one #NortheastBlue community, together.
As you process through these very challenging times, College counselors are here to help. If you are in need of support around these or related events, you can contact the counseling office at counseling@northeastcollege.edu or 315.568.3064; you can also contact your local mental health provider. Employees are also able to reach out to our Employee Assistance Program through Human Resources. If you feel you are in immediate danger of harming yourself, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or dial 911 for emergency help.
Dr. Michael Mestan
President, Northeast College of Health Sciences