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Reaffirming our commitment to the
Asian American Pacific Islander community

In the spirit of justice, diversity, equity and inclusiveness, we in Stanford’s Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing would like to reaffirm our commitment to our local Asian community, as well as to all other communities who have been experiencing systemic racism in addition to the pandemic. In light of the most recent spike in Asian American hate crimes across the country, including the recent murders of Asian women in Georgia and physical attacks against elderly Asians in the Bay Area and elsewhere, we stand in solidarity and support of the Asian community during this difficult time. With the White House flag raised at half staff, we applaud President Biden’s recent commitment to “Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.” In addition, we are heartened by recent Congressional meetings and the support for a resolution condemning Asian xenophobia by Representative Grace Meng (D-NY).

The regularly released reports from Stop AAPI Hate, numbering in the thousands, reflect aggregated data related to rising Asian hate crimes nationwide, but it is highly likely that there are many more incidents that are not being reported. Sadly, there has also been an increase in bullying and cyberbullying of Asian American youth such that they are opting to continue studying remotely, even as we approach increased vaccine roll-out and the reopening of schools. Please consider reaching out to colleagues and loved ones during this difficult time, as well as to our community youth, some of whom may not have had a chance to discuss the effects of racism with their families or other trusted adults (Guide for parents of Asian/Asian American adolescents).

With everything that’s going on, we encourage everyone to practice community safety through bystander interventions. Stanford offers a dedicated resource support page specifically for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who experience harassment and hate. Should you witness or experience any Act of Intolerance, please report this conduct. Stop AAPI Hate and Stand Against Hatred also offer resources for victims. No one should feel unsafe at work or elsewhere, and as a community we condemn any behavior that goes against our values of inclusion and belonging.  

We stand with our AAPI students, trainees, faculty, staff and affiliated organizations (e.g. AACAP, APA, AMA, to name a few) in condemning anti-Asian racism and continuing our work towards a more equitable world for all.

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