Dear Clarkson Community Members,
We in the Chief Inclusion Office condemn the acts of violence and racism carried out against Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA), community members. We stand in solidarity with our Asian community members at Clarkson University, and offer our support during this time. We seek to get rid of the notion that this community is not directly being affected by structures of white supremacy. There is a sense of fear surrounding these events that should not be ignored. This is not a time to be silent as we have a community of students, faculty, and staff that deserve our support.
We have seen an increase in targeted attacks against our Asian and Pacific Islander communities that is extremely saddening. The non-profit organization, Stop AAPI Hate (Asian-American Pacific Islander) has reported 3,975 hate incidents against Asian Americans between March 19, 2020, and February 28, 2021. This rise all leading up to the violent shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, resulting in the deaths of eight people. Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, and Yong Ae Yue Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng were parents, siblings, god-parents, friends, and business owners. More importantly, they were people who did not deserve to have their lives ended by targeted hate. We must call these acts out for what they are, crimes caused by the normalcy of misogyny and racism in our country.
We will be releasing resources to create dialogue, safe spaces, and working with student groups on ways to better support this community as xenophobia and white supremacy have too often silenced them.
The members of the Chief Inclusion Office stand in solidarity with the communities currently under attack and offer our resources, hold space for grief and releasing, and we offer our support in any way these communities see fit.
In Solidarity,
Bria Cole
Training & Development Coordinator, CIO
Patrice Cole
Office Manager, CIO
Lorraine Njoki
Program Coordinator, CIO
Dr. Jennifer Ball
Chief Inclusion Officer, CIO
Dr. Christopher Robinson
Faculty Development Liaison, CIO
Dr. Melissa Richards
STEM Education Outreach Liaison, CIO
