Dear Members of the Clark Community,

Last night in Atlanta, we witnessed violence committed against Asians and Asian Americans. Acts of hate against Asians in the U.S. surged by nearly 150 percent over the past year, fueled by the anti-Asian rhetoric propagated during our national fight against COVID-19. We say “surged,” because anti-Asian racism is not new. It has always been a part of the racist history and landscape of this country, and it has always been chronically under-reported. Now, the frequency of these attacks are rapidly escalating. And the numbers continue to rise.

We at Clark mourn those who died, hold those injured in our thoughts, and condemn the hate that led to these heinous acts. And we recognize, feel, and hold the grief and pain of our Asian and Asian American students, staff, faculty, and neighbors. Even as we mourn, we must intervene and act by calling out all forms of racism, white supremacy, sexism, misogyny, and xenophobia, and by standing in solidarity with all communities of color, by educating each other about the history, experiences, and accomplishments of Asians and Asian Americans.

We remind members of our community and neighbors that racism and oppression are complex, overlapping and intersectional. Do not heed those who offer solutions by fanning the flames of racial divisions among communities of color. Do not fight anti-Asian racism with anti-Black racism.  Do not fight anti-Black racism with anti-Asian racism.

If you need support please reach out. You may contact the Center for Counseling and Personal Growth at any time of day.  The following individuals are available to you, as well:

Maria Gallant
Co-chair, Staff Assembly
Assistant Director of Alumni & Friends Engagement
She/Her/Hers

Michael F. Vidal
Director for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
He/Him/His

Peyton Wu
Director
Office of Multicultural and First Generation Student Support
They/Them/Theirs

Importantly, if you witness, experience or have information regarding a bias or hate incident, we urge you to report it through the University’s Bias Incident Reporting portal. You can learn more about our incident reporting procedures here.

Clark faculty, students, and staff will hold space next week for mutual support and for learning how we can all play a powerful role in creating a more just and inclusive future. Further details to come. We hope you will join us.

Sincerely,

David Fithian
President

Davis Baird
Provost

Betsy Huang
Associate Provost and Dean of the College
Klein Distinguished Professor
Associate Professor of English

Esther Jones
Dean of the Faculty
Associate Professor of English
E. Franklin Frazier Chair of African American Literature, Theory, and Culture

Francy Magee
Associate Provost and Dean of Students

Jie Park
Associate Dean of Faculty-Focused DEI Initiatives
Director, Center for Gender, Race, and Area Studies
Associate Professor of Education