On this day of GLOBAL STRIKE: EMAIL ACA Governing members

Dear Signers!

We are closely approaching 500 signatures! I'm so appreciative to all of you who have signed, shared, and promoted this petition to make your voices heard. You encourage me to keep going. I was recently made aware, thanks to one of our signers, of a letter by one of the ACA's network groups, which tried to basically shame the ACA for even trying to vaguely mention the history of displacement in their October 7th letter. Amongst many egregious claims, this group tried to push the narrative that college campuses have become ground for Jewish hatred, which is shameful and ignores the thousands of Jewish voices who are advocating for Palestinian rights on college campuses, and around the nation and the globe. In response, it is important for us to continue to put pressure on the ACA by sending them emails. I've included a template below, and the list of emails to reach out to:

ACA President Edil Torres Rivera: edil.torresrivera@wichita.edu

ACA CEO Shawn Boynes: sboynes@counseling.org

ACA Executive leadership member Brandi McIntyre: bmcintyre@counseling.org

Dear American Counseling Association Leadership members, 

I am writing to you in response to the petition asking the ACA to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. It has been 72 days of constant bombardment of the Gaza strip. Over 20,000 civilians have been killed, and over 8000 children, which is more children than in any other conflict in the last decade. That is in the span of only two months. Over one million people are displaced, with many having no homes to go back to. Due to Israel's siege and blockade, Palestinians in Gaza have also started to die of hunger and disease. Basic necessities such as food, water, medicine, and in fuel are in horrifically short supply. Israel has indiscriminately bombed and attacked mosques, churches, UN shelters and schools, universities, cultural monuments, ambulances, healthcare facilities, bakeries, markets and more civilians infrastructure. They have killed over 90 journalists, many healthcare professionals, and academics. They have kidnapped and tortured civilians, and have ransacked Palestinians homes, desecrating their spaces and stealing their belongings. The situation in Gaza has been described by many human rights and humanitarian organizations and individuals as nothing they have seen before. It is nothing short of a dangerous humanitarian catastrophe, and many major organizations such as Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam, and others are saying that a permanent ceasefire is needed IMMEDIATELY. That the ACA has refused to join these voices is absolutely shameful. Advocating for social justice is one of the ACA's mission objectives. The ACA upheld this objective during Apartheid South Africa and the Russian attack on Ukraine, but has failed to do so in support of Palestinian basic human rights, and in support of international humanitarian law. I implore you to use your voice to stand up for what is right, as every voice counts now. History will judge us for the choices we made at this time, and silence is not an option. 

I thank you for your attention to this very important and timely manner, and hope you include your important voice in asking for a ceasefire. 

Sincerely,