Stop Anti-Asian Hate and Violence

March 18, 2021

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

The crisis of anti-Asian racism and violence has grown increasingly intense over the past year, as we have seen demonstrated in powerful and disturbing ways this week.

Tuesday’s horrific shootings in Atlanta took eight lives, seven of them women, six of them of Asian descent. While the investigation into the incident and its motives continues, the facts of those killings has had the effect of shaking us all, and leaving many in our Asian and Asian American communities feeling more afraid, anxious, and unsafe than ever.

Today on Capitol Hill, the House Judiciary Committee held a previously scheduled hearing on anti-Asian discrimination, the first of its kind in more than three decades, at which Asian American congresswomen urged action to address this crisis point for our nation, brought on in large part by repeated falsehoods and anti-China rhetoric related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And also this week, the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center (an initiative launched in March 2020 to track and respond to incidents of hate, violence, and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.) released a report showing nearly 4,000 incidents documented by the center over the past year. Incident reports came from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with women reporting at a rate more than twice that of men, and reports including verbal harassment, physical assault, civil rights violations, and more. I urge you to read the report and become an informed and active ally in condemning and working to end racism.

For those who are all-too-aware of this issue—in this case Asian and Asian American members of the Trinity community—please know that we stand with you; you are not alone. We condemn all forms of anti-Asian racism and violence. We encourage you to connect and find support and strength in this community. Below are several resources, including a link to the Campus Climate Incident Response Team should you wish to report an incident of bias (which can be done anonymously).

Campus Resources

Campus Affinity Groups (including the Asian Faculty and Staff affinity group)
Campus Climate Incident Response Team
Counseling and Wellness Center
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Office of Student and Community Life
Office of International Students and Scholars
Office of Spiritual and Religious Life

Please take care of yourselves and each other.

Sincerely,

Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience