The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures thanks our Catholic U alumni and @BlackatCUA for sharing their experiences. We recognize the pain associated with these experiences and the ways that such macro and microaggressions diminish the personhood of those involved, negatively impact their academic development, and hinder their participation in the campus community. At the same time, we see the stories shared by students as a call to action to bring about the onset of the transformation of our campus so that it more fully embodies the "beloved community" we are commanded to cultivate by God. As a department, our mission is to foster respect for, and open exchange among, cultures and communities not only across the world, but also within and around our campus. Our classrooms are a space in which to engage in crucial conversations about the value of civil society and the promotion of the sanctity of all human life. This work includes the discussion of topics that may be uncomfortable for some, utilizing a framework anchored in our students' experiences, research in our fields, and the justice inherent in our faith. We condemn in the strongest terms any and all forms of discrimination whether based on language, citizenship/nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, socio-economic status, or physical ability. We commit to respecting and upholding the fundamental dignity of human life in all its forms and helping our students to do the same. This commitment is not limited to one movement or one time but requires us all as a department to continue this work at the core of our mission. We strongly believe in our university motto "God is our light" as we continue to combat racism, xenophobia, and discrimination in all forms and choose to let it lead us as we teach our students to love one another as they love themselves. We believe that all lives cannot matter until all Black lives matter. 

 Here is a list of some Modern Languages and Literatures courses that critically address race, colonization/decolonization, post-colonial issues, and justice/injustice:

 Arab 213:  Development and Humanitarian Interventions in the Middle East, Africa and Beyond

Frn 220:  Pirates of the Caribbean in Atlantic Literature

Frn 242:  From Earth to the Moon:  Rockets, Space Travel and Imagination

Ger 220: Vienna in Literature and the Arts

Ger 230: Grimms’ Fairy Tales

Ger 255: Mysteries, Murders, & Thrillers: German Crime Fiction

Ital 212:  Setting the World Ablaze:  Italian Women’s Writing from Ste. Catherine to Elena Ferrante

Ital 230:  Mafia, Politics and Society in Italian Cinema

Span 204:  Spanish through Film and Literature:  Gender, Morality, and History

Span 310:  Contemporary Hispanic Issues