CLS Faculty and Staff Response to Anti-Asian Violence

As details emerge about the murderous attacks on businesses in Georgia, one thing should be clear. Nearly two centuries of open structural racism and sexual imperialism against people of Asian descent cannot be reduced to one non-Hispanic White man’s “bad day.”  In this context, we the undersigned the faculty and staff of the Chican@ & Latin@ Studies Program once again reaffirm our support and solidarity for our friends, neighbors, and relatives of Asian descent. We know that violence against Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) communities in the United States is on the rise.  A recent report by Stop AAPI Hate makes the situation clear and highlights the targeting of women of Asian descent.   Although we, like so many others, are heartbroken by these acts of racist and misogynist violence, we were gratified by the words of Phi Nguyen, Litigation Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice’s Atlanta chapter.  In the organization’s press release, Ms. Nguyen noted that the victims of these crimes were low-wage workers, part of a broader group that has faced heightened risks during the pandemic.  Many of us have witnessed firsthand the struggles of such workers in many sectors and documented the terrible effects of xenophobia and neglect on the most vulnerable among us.  The tendency of some elements in society to blame APIDA communities for the pandemic feeds racialized hatred and exacerbates the risks that those communities face.  We acknowledge their particular fear and sorrow at this moment and pledge to stand with them as we all work to dismantle the social structures that led to this senseless act of violence.  We commend our colleagues in the Asian American Studies Program for their recent events drawing attention to anti-Asian racism and the University’s leadership for its prompt response to the recent incident.  Asian American Studies has compiled a list of support resources for the APIDA community, and we encourage those struggling with the effects of recent events to consult these resources.  The CLS Program remains committed to making the UW-Madison a welcoming community for all and to combatting all forms of social violence. Andrea-Teresa “Tess” Arenas Erin Barbato Patrick Barrett Theresa Delgadillo Rachelle Eilers Falina Enriquez Alberta Gloria Mary Louise Gomez Peter Haney Paola Hernández Armando Ibarra Kathryn Kirchgasler Edna Ledesma Lori Lopez Benjamin Márquez Rubén Medina Almita Miranda Alfonso Morales Mariana Pacheco Allison Powers Useche Marla Ramírez Alyssa Ramírez Stege Diana Rodríguez-Gómez Diego Román Carolina Sarmiento Revel Sims Lynet Uttal Catherine Vieira