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| March 17, 2021 | Office of the Provost |
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Dear Santa Clara University community members, We write to you to condemn the anti-Asian violence that has been happening throughout this country, from the attacks on and deaths of Asian American / Asian seniors to the most recent mass murder of eight people in Georgia, six of them Asian American / Asian women. This is not a coincidence. While the shooter’s motives have not yet been fully determined, the racialized and gendered impact of this violence must be contextualized in the virulent pattern of anti-Asian hatred and violence in our country. The steep rise in anti-Asian assaults over the past year, fueled by rhetoric baselessly attacking people of Asian ancestry for the COVID-19 pandemic, must be publicly denounced and eradicated. We must recognize how this violence intersects with other forms of racism. We must also look within ourselves to recognize our complicity in permitting racist, xenophobic, and inflammatory language to evolve to where we are today. As SCU leaders of diverse races, ancestries, and life experiences, we are united in our solidarity with and advocacy for our Asian American Pacific Islander communities. We urge you to actively include Asian Americans in your commitment to anti-racism and to join us in stopping the hate (#StopAAPIHate). Anti-Asian bigotry happens frequently and casually; it is often dismissed, overlooked, and minimized. If we really wish to strive to be anti-racist, then we must stand with each other and show up for one another in our common humanity and struggle for racial justice. Racism has no home at Santa Clara University and we will work toward building a community of solidarity and accountability to eradicate anti-Asian racism, xenophobia and misogyny. Just two weeks ago, our Office for Diversity & Inclusion devoted its monthly Community Conversation to this topic, creating a space for dialogue and education. Links to the video recording and slides from this program, “Stopping Hate Violence and Hate Speech: A Call to Action,” can be found here: 3/2/21 Community Conversations Recording 3/2/21 Community Conversations Slides (with resources) In the coming weeks and months, we will have additional opportunities for programs, talks, and support as we speak out against racism, hate speech, and hate violence. We encourage you to join us, to support each other, and to reach out for help as needed.
Lisa A. Kloppenberg
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| Santa Clara University |