Statement of Support for Asian/Asian American/ Pacific Islander Communities

by Peggy Shannon, Ph.D.

March 22, 2021

The College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at San Diego State University strongly condemns acts of racist-motivated harassment, intimidation, verbal and physical attacks and microaggressions against our fellow Asian and Asian American community members locally, regionally, and nationally. PSFA condemns white supremacy in all of its forms.

The last year has seen an increase in racist and xenophobic assumptions, behaviors and reported attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) who are wrongfully perceived as responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak. The recent mass murder of AAPI community members in Atlanta is a horrific continuation of this racist behavior and must not be tolerated. The nature of the attack should also lead to a critically important conversation about the intersection of misogyny and class in xenophobia.

This attack is not an isolated incident, but the terrible culmination of recent and historic anti-AAPI attacks and misinformation in the United States. It is important to recognize that this misinformation is also deeply rooted in the historical legacy of racializing infectious diseases as an instrument of hatred against People of Color. Viruses do not originate from, nor are they spread by, specific racial or ethnic groups, and any such misconceptions should be strongly rebutted. PSFA will continue to speak out against such attitudes and provide a supportive space for its AAPI faculty, staff, and students.

Join PSFA College Faculty & Staff and sign the Pledge: In support of the SDSU Asian Pacific Islander Desi American community, this pledge provided by President Adela de la Torre provides several opportunities for taking further action.

https://psfa.sdsu.edu/about_us/news/psfa-statement-on-institutional-racism

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.

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