AAAS and APIN statement on the Atlanta shootings

The Department of Asian and Asian American Studies (AAAS) and Asian Pacific Islander Network (APIN) are devastated and outraged by the murder of eight people in Atlanta on March 16, 2021.

Six of the victims were Asian women. Anti-Asian violence is not new, but the number of hate incidents and harassment against AAPIs has increased during the pandemic due to the racist and xenophobic scapegoating of the previous administration. According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, anti-Asian hate crimes rose 149% in 2020 in major U.S. cities. Stop AAPI Hate received 3,800 reports of anti-Asian incidents between March 2020-February 2021 and 68% of those incidents were towards women. The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum writes that, “Now, our community, and particularly women, elders, and workers with low wage jobs, are bearing the brunt of continued vilification.” 

We would like to share some upcoming events that you may find helpful. 

  • The Division of Student Affairs will host “Debrief to Relief: Hate & Violence toward the Asian American/Pacific Islander Community” on Thursday, March 18, 5-6:30 pm. All students, staff, and faculty are welcome.

  • Dr. Russell Jeung, co-founder of the Stop AAPI Hate project and Professor of Asian American Studies, SFSU, will discuss how incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, and racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Ideas on how to support and advocate for the AAPI community will also be shared. Flyer is attached. This event on Wednesday, April 14 is open to all CSULB students, faculty, and staff.  Please RSVP here for the event. Zoom Meeting ID will be provided upon registration.

Stop AAPI Hate
A Workshop with Russell Jeung
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
4:00pm-5:00pm

  • Follow Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta on Instagram and Facebook. You can sign their Collective Statement – A Community-Centered Response to Violence Against Asian American Communities and learn how you can directly support the victims, their families, and local and state crisis intervention efforts. 

We expect more events to come. Feel free to reach out to CAPS, your faculty, and/or AAAS department. Check on your friends and family. We stand with our students, colleagues, and allies across communities in solidarity against racist and gendered violence and hate crimes in all their forms. 

In grief and solidarity,

Dept. of Asian and Asian American Studies

Asian Pacific Islander Network

CSULB