Nassau Standard

“We learned this week that one of the victims of the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria was a member of the CUNY family. Kimberly Firik, who was a 2014 graduate of The City College of New York, perished in the disaster along with her husband, Burak, and their young children, Hamza and Bilal. The loss of this young mother and one of our own, who traveled from her home in Queens to spend time with loved ones in Elbistan, Turkey, reverberates across our community. We extend heartfelt condolences to the families of Kimberly and Burak, and to all those who have lost loved ones during this ongoing crisis.

“This devastating event, which has claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people to date and displaced many thousands more, might feel a world away. But as an institution that has historically welcomed students from so many backgrounds and locations, we also know that when there is a disaster anywhere in the world, it has likely touched somebody from our CUNY family. To those students, faculty and staff who have been personally affected by the earthquake and its devastating effects, know that we stand ready to help you ease the burden. If you are struggling with mental health issues or in need of emotional support, please visit your campus counseling center or make use of the other services outlined here. Faculty and staff can turn to our employee assistance program for support.

“In this time of unspeakable loss, I urge our community to extend compassion and kindness to those in need. For a list of some organizations providing aid, please visit CUNY’s disaster relief resource page here.”

Original source can be found here.