We, the members and supporters of Professors United for a Safe Haven (P.U.S.H.) and the Program in Gender and Intersectionality Studies (PGIS), stand against anti-Asian racism and violence. Although racism and violence towards the Asian community are not new, now more than ever we must work together to break the silence surrounding these tragic events. There is no space for indifference. The Asian community requires allyship, recognition, and support.
The targeted violence that took place on March 16, 2021 in Atlanta is a tragic event. The nature of the attacks is a hate crime against Asian women. Sadly, it is one of many violent acts that have been on the rise in the United States and globally towards Asians, Asian Americans, Desi, and Pacific Islanders. This violence has been especially targeted towards women and elderly people and has increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a group of faculty and allies, we are again reminded that universities must protect and defend the communities that are being targeted by racism and bigotry. As educators, we condemn anti-Asian racism and violence. To embody anti-racism work, we must educate ourselves to learn about the events and historical violence against the Asian community and understand their impact on our world today. Further, we must include anti-racism work in the education that our University is providing to our students.
We recognize the systemic nature of these issues, understanding that it is systems and institutions that have created the conditions where people and groups of people are seen as less than human. We also understand that silence perpetuates the conditions of this system.
The Next GenerAsian Organization urges us to take action in raising awareness, amplifying Asian voices, providing space for experiences to be shared and listened to, and reflecting on biases within ourselves and our communities. We invite you to join us in condemning this rise in racism and violence towards the Asian community and pledging to incorporate anti-racist work into our University spaces.
IMAGE TAKEN from NAACP
