Statement on anti-Asian violence

The Department of African American Studies stands in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in condemnation of the rise of anti-Asian sentiment. These rising hostilities have resulted in the harassment of people who appear to be of Asian descent, in attacks against children and the elderly, and in the deadly shooting spree at three Atlanta spas. We condemn this violence.

The United States has a long history of equating Asian Americans with disease. Further, the U.S. militarization of the East, including Okinawa, South Korea, and Vietnam, resulted in the increased sexualization of Asian women. And the internment of Japanese Americans perpetuated the image of Asians as a domestic threat. The imperialist notions undergirding this history remain deeply embedded within the culture.

We call for the elimination of divisive rhetoric that correlates people with viruses, for the recognition of the harm wrought by racialized and gendered images of sex workers, and for the unequivocal demand for justice for the families and loved ones of those who have been killed. We seek to amplify movements of cross-racial solidarity as our communities stand united against racism.

Additional resources: President Wilson's statement regarding attacks on Asian Americans