Dear members of the campus community,
I want to take this time to recognize that May is Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders month. As we are coping with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing to return to campus, I want to acknowledge recent events involving violence against Asians in our country. These acts of violence are inexcusable actions of hate.
Recently, eight individuals were killed in Atlanta. Six of the victims were Asian women. I want us to stand together in solidarity with each community impacted everyday by these acts. As a campus community, we must recognize that there is a history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) being victimized whether it’s through the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was enforced through 1943, or President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066, forcing over 100,000 people of Japanese descent into detention camps in the U.S. during World War II.
More recently, discussions on the source of the coronavirus has fueled a recent rise of discrimination and violence against our AAPI brothers and sisters. I want our AAPI faculty, staff and students to know that they matter to us. You are all valued members of the Hudson Valley community. We are aware that these are unprecedented times and we encourage everyone to be mindful of our social discourse and remember to value, respect, and show understanding for one another.
As a community, we acknowledge the trauma, pain, and injustices that AAPI have experienced as a result of racism. During these challenging times, I want us to live up to the college’s mission to provide dynamic, student centered, comprehensive and accessible educational opportunities that address the diverse needs of the community. We hope that all members of our community try to learn more about AAPI community and the value they add to our community.
We must be allies that stand up and speak out against injustice and ignorance. It is important that we work with our community partners to celebrate the power and richness of diversity. Please take a moment to review the article, “Unmasking Yellow Peril” to take a deeper dive into the history of Asian Americans in the United States. The link to the article is below.
https://18millionrising.org/2020/04/unmasking_yp.html
In solidarity,
Ainsley Thomas
Chief Diversity Officer
Published: Mon, 17 May 2021 12:05:34 +0000 by a.thomas1