To our CU Boulder community:
Our day began with the tragic and disturbing news that eight people––six of them women of Asian heritage––were murdered by a gunman in the Atlanta area. While the gunman’s precise motive is being investigated, we know that Asian Americans have been targeted in nearly 3,800 documented hate incidents this past year, according to a Stop AAPI Hate report issued on Tuesday. We also know that the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities have been reeling from this violence, and that these shootings only exacerbate fears in communities of color on our campus and across the nation.
We must join together as a university community in our condemnation of this act of violence and against a legacy of xenophobia and discrimination against Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Since the pandemic began, they have been impacted by increasing violence and intimidation driven by racism––acts that have spurred greater fear and anxiety for many in our community.
Racism, discrimination and violence undermine our values and our mission as a public research university, and CU Boulder is committed to building and supporting a more diverse, equitable and inclusive campus community for all of us. For the past year, our students, faculty and staff have engaged in discussions about the rise of anti-Asian discrimination––conversations that form part of our institutional commitment to fostering a campus culture that confronts racism––and they have created programs, messages and campaigns in a show of solidarity.
As we continue to acknowledge the pain that anti-Asian discrimination is causing in our campus community, around the nation and across the globe, we must understand and recognize that many of our students, faculty and staff may be experiencing fear, anxiety and anger following today’s tragic events and other recent attacks.
First, I encourage us to act directly against acts of racism directed against our Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities by being an ally and an active bystander. Second, I encourage us all to take full advantage of the expertise on our campus, to become more educated about these issues, and to explore ways of showing our support to our Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Below is a list of campus support resources, reading materials, community campaigns and an April 7 event hosted by the Center for Inclusion and Social Change, “How to Talk About What Matters: Anti-Asian Racism in the Time of COVID.”
These opportunities will enable us to engage with each other, to learn more, and to seek support if we need to talk to someone about recent events. As a community, we must unite against racism, discrimination and violence in our community and beyond.
Sincerely,
Philip P. DiStefano
Campus support resources:
Reporting acts of discrimination:
Need to talk to someone? Tap into campus resources such as CAPS, FSAP and OVA:
Share your thoughts with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement:
Explore anti-racism events, discussions and resources at CU Boulder:
External resources:
