The Silberman School of Social Work community stands in solidarity with people across the USA and globally in mourning the Atlanta Spa murders of eight people, six being Asian American women. We voice our strong support to all those affected deeply by these heinous and tragic acts in Atlanta.
As Michelle Alexander notes, racism is highly adaptable in the United States. The rules and reasons the political system employs to enforce relations of any kind, including racial hierarchy, evolve and change as they are challenged.
The cumulative historical impact of U.S. policy excluding people of Asian descent from the country and the most recent attacks against people of Asian descent across the country is a continuation of a long tradition of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia. We affirm our abiding commitment to eradicating ideologies of dominance and the eviscerating impact of domination in the lives of all people.
Statement From President Raab on Violence Against Asian Americans
The appalling outbreak of targeted violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders here in New York and elsewhere in our country must stop immediately. Speaking for the entire Hunter College family, we condemn it in the strongest possible terms and urge that every resource available to the city, state, and federal governments be marshaled to prevent it. Such cruelty is simply intolerable in this proud nation of immigrants. We are reminded again that we must vigilantly protect the rights of people of all backgrounds and resist any and all attempts to pit people against each other, or unconscionably scapegoat individuals or groups as we emerge from this painful year of social isolation.
Here at Hunter College, proud home of the Asian-American Studies Program and Center and the Hunter College AANAPISI Project (HCAP), we treasure our campus-wide dedication to opportunity for all—a tradition that began at our founding in 1870. By celebrating diversity and inclusion, we condemn discrimination. By defending the rights and safety of all we truly live up to our motto: “Mihi cura futuri, the care of the future is mine.”