Statement on Violence Against People of Asian Descent

From the Dean and Chief Diversity Officer

March 5, 2021

Dear GSE Community,

As the number of racially motived incidents targeting Asian Americans, Asian international students, and Asian immigrants and visitors, continue to rise across the United States, we write to express unequivocal support for the Asian and Asian American students, faculty, and staff in our community. These hate crimes range from harassment and verbal abuse, to physical violence, including those targeting elderly Asian Americans. Let’s be clear, the verbal and physical violence that persons of Asian descent have experienced in the US and globally are not isolated events. Anti-Asian racism is not a new phenomenon and has a long history in the US and elsewhere, but has been unleashed anew since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric has gone unchecked.

We reject racism and xenophobia and stand with those who have been harmed by all forms of anti-Asian incidents. We also call on all members of the GSE community to actively reject ignorant, biased perspectives, based on COVID-related falsehoods and lies, about China, Chinese people, and other Asian people presumed to be from China. We encourage our community to stand up, speak up, intervene, and even report when you observe or experience such hateful incidents whether they be in-person or on-line.

In order to continue to build the GSE community we seek, it is essential that we build connections and care for each other. That means constantly being aware of what is happening in the world and being active in our efforts to connect with one another.

Sincerely,