Public Statements

Standing in Solidarity with Members of the Asian American Community

March 17, 2021

Dear Members of the Hamilton Community,

On Tuesday, a gunman killed eight people in Atlanta, six of them Asian American. While the motivation for this terrible crime is still being investigated, it comes in the wake of an appalling series of attacks on Asian Americans around the country. Incidents involving anti-Asian bias have accelerated since the start of the pandemic, driven in part by false claims about its origins. In the last year alone, thousands of such incidents, including violent assaults, verbal abuse, employment discrimination, and online bullying, have been reported across the United States. What these incidents have in common, apart from the ignorance and intolerance of those responsible, is that they violate the most basic values of our community and contribute to a climate of fear and anxiety for those who identify as Asian. 

I have heard from members of the Hamilton community who have had their own experience with the kinds of hateful acts now multiplying in so many parts of the country, and who feel acutely the pain of recent events. I want to encourage anyone who needs support to take advantage of the many resources available to them through the Counseling Center, the Dean of Students Office, and the Employee Assistance Program. Dean Martinez has already reached out to the Asian Student Union to express solidarity and concern. In addition, Dean Martinez, along with Associate Dean Maria Genao-Homs and the Days-Massolo Center Director Paola Lopez Fincannon, will host a Zoom drop-in session tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM as a space for students to share their thoughts or join in conversation. Please let them know if you would like to join and they will send you a link.

Racism and bigotry have no place in our community or our country, and while the burdens they impose fall most heavily on those who are the targets of intolerance, it is incumbent on all of us to work together to achieve a better and stronger community for all.

David