HCFC Statement of Solidarity

The Harvard College French Club stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and with the many people whose lives were taken by systemic hate. We stand resolutely against indifference, and encourage our friends and family, regardless of citizenship, to recognize their own biases and have difficult conversations about racism and white privilege.

Illustration by Sacrée Frangine

First and foremost, the Harvard College French Club stands in solidarity with George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the many others whose lives were prematurely taken in inexcusable circumstances brought by systemic and institutionalized hate. We stand firmly against such hate and join others in our insistence that those responsible for these egregious injustices be brought to justice and duly prosecuted. We join people of color in the United States, Europe, and all around the world, in the fight for equality and against racism.

As a group, we stand resolutely against indifference. A vigorous national discussion, from the public sphere to among friends to the privacy of our own homes, is essential to shaping the better future we wish for our country and the world. No progress can be made without conversation; no conversation can be had without a commitment to understanding and a recognition of the diverse experiences had by those around us. An extraordinary number of resources is available online to expand one’s perspective. While focus is often placed on social media, which serves as an invaluable tool for engaging others and expressing support, private participation in difficult conversations is at least as important. These uncomfortable discussions with loved ones, those who disagree with us, and others who are victims of oppression, are essential for our growth as humans. 

As members of the international community, we cannot ignore recent events on the basis that they are not occurring “at home.” Our response should not just be empathy, or a distant show of support, for black people abroad. Even though our news feeds may not include videos of people of color being unjustly murdered within our borders, we cannot turn our heads the other way, or pretend it is not our issue to deal with too. 

In France, and all European countries, and all over the word, people of color receive unjust treatments and unequal opportunities in comparison with their white compatriots. For instance, identical applications for jobs and housing with names that have a Maghrebi or African connotation receive significantly lower positive response rates, sometimes twice as low as the exact same applications using “traditional French” names. For those who think we don’t have a racism problem anymore: in a 2018 study, over 76% of French citizens asserted that a “vigorous fight against racism in France” is necessary. So what are these 76% doing at this moment?

We all have opinions, biases, and presumptions about people of color, whether we act on them or not, whether we are aware of them or not. We need to call upon ourselves to acknowledge this. Next time we catch ourselves making generalities about a subgroup of the population, it is our responsibility to be aware of what biases are at play, and to actively rethink views that we might have unconsciously adopted by default. Admitting our indifference to these issues is uncomfortable, but it is the only way to remedy our obliviousness. Let’s stop being defensive about what we need to improve. Most importantly, let’s stop pretending that racism doesn’t exist at home. 

Whether you’re still unsure “what this is all about” or how you might be part of the problem, whether you want to contribute but don’t know how, whether you think what we have just exposed are our “opinions” and not a human rights emergency ; please take a look at the following list of resources for more information about current events in the US and racism in France, videos to watch, articles to read, places to donate, ways to be an active ally, and tips for carrying out difficult conversations. 

Resources about racism in the US

Resources about racism in France and about French colonial history

  • Egalité Contre le Racisme: organisation that centralises information about Racism in France and suggests adapted responses. A good place to start for those who want to get involved, or for those who are witnesses or victims of racist acts or words. 
  • Street Flow (Netflix) – a film about life in Parisian suburbs (banlieues)
  • Black Skin White Masks by Frantz Fanon 
  • The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon 
  • La Question by Henri Alleg
  • Services spéciaux, Algérie 1955-1957 : Mon témoignage sur la torture by Paul Aussaresses

Resources for children
Because staying silent about discrimination and racism results in children absorbing and normalizing such behaviors at a societal or individual level. 

Organizations to donate to in France

Get involved

Conversation guide: questions to ask yourself, questions to ask your friends and family

  • How do you see racism at play in your country in everyday life? What are more subtle ways in which racism can impact people of color around you without you noticing?
  • What biases do you have against people of color? Could these biases have detrimental impacts on people of color you work with, go to school with, or simply interact with? 
  • How do you think the color of your skin has advantaged or disadvantaged you throughout your life? What opportunities opened up to you or did you miss out on because of it? Are there times in your lives that you think you benefited from being white (if applicable)?
  • How do you behave when you observe racist behavior? In what way have you ignored this behavior in yourself or in others in the past?
  • Why is it important for everyone to work towards ending this injustice? What are you committed to doing outside of reposting or following trends, that shows your convictions and reflection over these issues, and represents tangible contributions?