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Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Racism, Hate, and the AAPI Community

Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

Photo: Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

Racism and hate are not new to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, but the onset and spread of COVID-19 has led to massive increases in both. Ethics Center staff and scholars unpack some of the many related ethical dilemmas in this Ethics Spotlight.

 

Perspectives

Against Oppression Olympics: Prioritizing Coalitional Solidarity in News Coverage of Atrocities by Anita Varma (@anitawrites), assistant director of Journalism & Media Ethics as well as Social Sector Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. She leads the Solidarity Journalism Initiative.

Media coverage of tragedies, including the recent shootings in an Atlanta massage parlor, are frequently reported as isolated incidents and quickly shift to the next trending incident.

 

Practicing Humility to Turn Back Hate by Ann Skeet (@leaderethics) senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

We, as individuals, require humility, kindness, and action to achieve any semblance of solidarity with those facing hate.

 

Reflections on 50 Years of an Interracial AAPI Marriage by Kathy Almazol, senior fellow with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Small acts of racism happen every day—mostly nonviolent—but still have a damaging impact on the targeted individual or population.

 

Responding to Atlanta: Giving in Grief and Outrage by Joan Harrington (@SocSectorEthics), director of social sector ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

After instances of mass violence, we express our grief with acts of mourning at the scene and raising money for the victims’ funerals and for their families, but we need to do more to initiate long-term change.

 

The Striking Duality in America’s Democracy Gap and Journalism’s Challenges with Race by Subbu Vincent (@subbuvincent), director of journalism & media ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

 

‘Suffering is Not a Natural Destiny’: Why Solidarity Reporting on Public Safety for Marginalized Communities Cannot Wait by Anita Varma (@anitawrites), assistant director of Journalism & Media Ethics as well as Social Sector Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. She leads the Solidarity Journalism Initiative.

How solidarity news values can help improve reporting on marginalized communities.

 

The Ethics Behind Naming a Virus After Its Country of Origin by Kaitlyn Leung ’21, a senior studying biology and child studies and a 2020-21 health care ethics intern at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

Labeling the COVID-19 virus the “China Virus” is driving racism and violence targeting those in the AAPI community.

 

Related Resources 

Injured Privilege—Beyond “Model Minority” by Hsin-I Cheng associate professor, Department of Communication at Santa Clara University and a previous Hackworth Grant recipient with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

Solidarity Reporting can Help the Cause of Public Safety for Marginalized Communities by Anita Varma, assistant director for journalism & media ethics and social sector ethics.

Webinar Recording: Covering the Rise of Anti Asian American Racism: Solidarity Approaches to Reporting

Webinar led by the Asian American Journalists Association (San Francisco) in partnership with the Solidarity Journalism Initiative at the Markkula Center and the Society of Professional Journalists (Northern California) via Zoom on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. The full recording of the workshop is available via AAJA SF’s YouTube channel.

 

 

Ethics Center Statement of Solidarity on Recent Events and the History of Racism Toward Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders (AAPI)

In light of the rise in attacks and hate crimes against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, we stand in solidarity with AAPI communities to condemn anti-Asian racism and violence in all its forms. We mourn the eight people, including the six women of Asian descent, who were murdered in a mass shooting in Atlanta in March 2021. We acknowledge that these latest incidents of violence against AAPI people, including recent attacks in the Bay Area, have deep roots in this country’s history of systemic anti-Asian racism. The xenophobic rhetoric of the past year attacking and blaming people of Asian ancestry for the COVID-19 pandemic must also be called out and denounced. As we have said before, statements are important, but actions are critical. At the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, we are committed to anti-racism and racial justice and we recognize that this commitment must include work to fight against anti-Asian racism. 

 

 
Apr 22, 2021
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