The Harvard Divinity School’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging organized a “Gathering to Breathe and Heal” event to help students cope with the resignation of former President Claudine Gay, who left amid allegations of plagiarism and criticism for not addressing antisemitism on campus.
The Harvard Divinity School’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging wrote, “For this gathering, we will create a space for us to discuss and process the departure of our former president, Claudine Gay.”
This grief and loss may be connected to our personal lives; national and global unrest, harm, and violence; storms and natural disasters; or these increasing times of tension and divide on our campus and in our communities,” it continued.
“For many of us, this grief and loss also includes the resignation of former President Claudine Gay after her short tenure,” revealed the office.
“This is not a space for debate; rather, it is a container for holding emotions in community knowing that the circle holds us all,” concluded the group.
The event aimed to provide a space for students to process their emotions, emphasizing that it wasn’t a space for debate but rather a place to hold emotions in community.
The event was facilitated by the school’s Deans for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, affirming their commitment to addressing challenges on campus through a restorative justice approach rooted in love.