Posted 4:28 p.m. Thursday, March 18, 2021
A response to the shootings in GA targeting Asian women.
The Division of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse condemns the increasing violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Between March 2020 and February 2021, Stop AAPI Hate (a non-profit group) has collected 3,795 first-person accounts of hate incidents. Also, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremist at California State University – San Bernardino, reported that in 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes in 16 of the country's largest cities increased 150 percent over the previous year. Similarly, while the data is less clear due to underreporting, violence against women,elderly and girls is at a sharp increase – sometimes known as the “shadow pandemic” during this COVID-19 crisis.
This latest attack is just one example of our country's long history of racism, xenophobia, and misogyny against communities of color. To combat racism, ignorance, and White supremacy, we need to re/learn our history. Consider listening to speaker Robert Kim's talk on his @smithsonianapa webinar on the history of How Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders Shaped the Legal Landscape.
We also invite you to watch our second #VoicesofUpRising online seminar that will be published in April. UWL scholars will be discussing masculinity, White supremacy, and violence against women and minorities. During their conversation, the panelists will strive to deconstruct and disrupt the continued wave of domestic violent extremism and resistance in this country.
Finally, we stand with our AAPI community and especially with AAPI women, girls, and the elderly during this time and condemn this behavior; the shootings in Georgia and violent acts throughout our country were a crime against all of us. Hate is not a UWL value!
For individuals who need support, the following resources are available:
- Counseling and Testing Center at 608-785-8073
- Student Life at studentlife@uwlax.edu
- Office of Multicultural Students Services (OMSS) at omss@uwlax.edu
- Campus Climate at campusclimate@uwlax.edu
- Student Support Services at sss@uwlax.edu
- Pride Center at pridecenter@uwlax.edu
- ACCESS Center at ACCESSCenter@uwlax.edu
- Upward Bound at upwardbound@uwlax.edu
- Faculty and staff who need support should use the Employee Assistance Program.
We also encourage you to report any hate and bias incident using the following link.
Take care and lean into others for hope, love, and strength.
Standing with you,
Joe Gow, Chancellor
Antoiwana Williams, Director, Multicultural Student Services
Dina Zavala, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Diversity, and Inclusion
Barbara Stewart, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, and Inclusion