Perhaps we should no longer be surprised by the constancy of racist violence. Still, each new moment hits hard. The weight of the violence and the loss grows. The most recent moment, the deaths of eight people in Atlanta, six of whom were Asian women, is one more marker of the relentless racist attacks across our nation, aggravated by the quick tendency in much public conversation to deny the racial tenor of the murders.
Today, the CMCI leadership asks that all of us, regardless of our identities, pause and acknowledge the violence and its often-crushing impact. We know that for many of you, these incidents are not just there, in Atlanta, they are here, too. Many of us are targets of discursive and material violence. Others of us, pulled in too many different directions and no longer afforded easy opportunities to casually bump into a friend or neighbor, fail to ask, “How are you doing?” or to check in on ourselves and ask, “How am I doing?”
Though these moments can aggravate our sense of isolation, already heightened by the pandemic, we want to remind you that you, and we, are not alone. In his statement, Chancellor DiStefano reminded us that as a campus, we stand together in our condemnation of violence and xenophobia. In CMCI, we also stand together as a community.
As you move through the days and weeks ahead, remember to reach out in support of each other and of yourself. Perhaps take a few minutes to read and learn about racial trauma. This short piece clarifies just how real racial trauma is. And we don’t just experience it when we are victims of direct assault. Everyday exposure to social media or news reports creates or amplifies trauma. Or turn to the short piece, “To Be an Asian Woman in America,” that Jennifer Ho, professor of Ethnic Studies and director of the CU Boulder Center for Humanities and the Arts, wrote for CNN yesterday.
Campus has numerous resources, including these:
- "Unmask the Racism, a conversation about anti-Asian racism and Covid 19," from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, hosted by the CU Boulder Volunteer Resource Center
- "How to Talk about What Matters: Anti-Asian Racism in the Time of COVID-19," from 5 to 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7, hosted by the Center for Inclusion and Social Change
- The Center for Inclusion and Social Change is continuing its program on The Power of Community and April events will soon be announced. In the meantime, take a few minutes with this playlist they compiled: Healing, or take a look at their various resources.
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The Office of Diversity, Equity & Community Engagement invites your feedback and concern: We Are Listening
For faculty/staff
- Reach out to the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program or more locally to Lisa Flores, our associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion.
For students
- CMCI’s DEI team is available to chat and to listen.
- Reach out to the many campus offices that focus on health and wellness.