A Message on the Recent Anti-Asian Bias Attacks
As the pace of global vaccine distribution picks up and we are seeing encouraging signs that the worst of the pandemic may soon be behind us, a different kind of virus has been hurting the Asian American community. According to police data compiled by the Center for Study of Hate and Extremism and Voice of America, in 16 of the United States’ most populous cities anti-Asian hate crimes increased in 2020 by almost 150%. In New York City, the number of anti-Asian hate crimes reported rose from three in 2019 to 28 in 2020 — an 833% increase. We at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute unequivocally condemn racism in all its forms and are appalled by the recent violent attacks against individuals of Asian descent in our communities.
It is not an option for us to remain silent in the face of such injustice. As WEAI’s Qin Gao writes with Xiaofang Liu in an article titled “Stand against anti-Asian racial discrimination during COVID-19: A call for action,” for International Social Work, “Racial discrimination is a violation of human rights, a form of social injustice and exclusion, and intrinsically wrong.” Gao and Liu further write, “We need to share personal experiences and coping strategies, raise awareness within and beyond the Asian American group, as well as hold dialogues and build a coalition with other racial and ethnic minority groups.” We hope WEAI can be such a platform for dialogue and we encourage our community to address this issue through public discussion.
From labeling the coronavirus “China Virus” to early guidance discouraging the use of PPE, we have seen how conclusions drawn from incomplete information can lead to preventable tragedies. As an institute dedicated to spreading knowledge about East, Southeast, and Inner Asia, we at WEAI endeavor to confront ignorance and misconceptions with thorough research and fact, but we must also be willing to reconsider our own assumptions.
When the Institute was founded more than 70 years ago, our mission was to train US students to become experts and policymakers capable of making informed decisions about East Asia. We know so much more today than we did back then. Today we better understand both the interconnectedness of the countries in the region as well as the historical, environmental, and cultural experiences that distinguish them. Our scholarly community’s work has expanded beyond the “Far East,” to Southeast and Inner Asia. Research interests include disciplines as varied as film, anthropology, law, and social work. As we have grown, we have encouraged collaboration with the hopes of overcoming silos and paving the way for fresh, new perspectives to prosper.
WEAI is committed to a policy of anti-racism. To that end, we promise constant self-reflection, rigorous research in pursuit of knowledge, and will actively work to become a better, more inclusive institute. We have come a long way, but there is much more to be done. As we face these challenges together, I encourage you to review the following resources:
https://www.standagainsthatred.org/
Considering the Rash of Coronavirus-Related Bigotry
Fighting Xenophobia and Anti-Asian Racism
Understanding Systemic Racism Event Series
Stand against anti-Asian racial discrimination during COVID-19: A call for action
Eugenia Lean
Director, Weatherhead East Asian Institute