Trigger warning: racial violence, racism

In 2020, there were over 3,000 incidents of discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, which is an increase of 149% from 2019. 

Researchers attributed the spike in violence against Asian Americans to racist and xenophobic narratives that blame Asian people for the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York City alone, there were 29 reported hate crimes against people of Asian descent in 2020, and 24 were directly connected to “coronavirus motivation.” 

Everyone has a moral obligation to speak out against the injustices that have been inflicted upon Asian people nationally and globally. During this time of heightened violence and discrimination against Asian Americans, we stand and act in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander community members, who deserve to live without fear of targeted violence because of stereotypes around their race or ethnicity.

Activists at Fordham have stepped up to serve as leading voices in our community, and it’s critical that we continually follow their lead.

We are committed to reporting the truth and amplifying the voices in our community that are actively working to help the Asian American community heal. Activists at Fordham have stepped up to serve as leading voices in our community, and it’s critical that we continually follow their lead.

Fordham’s Asian American and Pacific Islanders Committee has a list of organizations and news sources addressing Asian American hate on its Instagram page, @fordhamaapi. The Focused Initiative for Race Equity at Fordham has resources for ways to contribute financially, information to educate and bring awareness to anti-Asian violence and mental health resources on its Instagram, @fordham_fire. Counseling and Psychological Services also provided mental health resources on Instagram for support, coping and advocacy (@fordham_cpsoutreach). Other Fordham cultural clubs such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have also posted resources on their social media accounts, demonstrating their solidarity with the AAPI community. 

This anti-racist work can take many forms, including attending and helping organize community events, supporting local businesses that have suffered as a result of the pandemic and amplifying the voices of Asian people. 

At The Observer, we acknowledge our privilege as a predominantly white editorial board, and we pledge to listen to and uplift Asian American voices. 

Students and journalists alike can support Asian American communities by signing petitions, attending protests, educating ourselves on America’s violent anti-Asian history and listening to the stories of the people who have been directly impacted by discrimination and violence. We all need to take action at the local, state and federal levels in order to dismantle the oppressive systems that continue to shape American society.