Letter to SAB Community in Response to Racist Violence
Dear SAB Community,
Racist violence must stop.
Following this past weekend’s anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s murder and the beginning of the jury selection process in search of justice for George Floyd, eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent, were killed in a racist and violent attack on Tuesday in Atlanta. The weight of these hate crimes is not lost on SAB and we know that our community is experiencing anger, grief, and fear.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes across our country. According to the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center, 3,795 anti-Asian hate incidents have been reported between March 2020 and February 2021. However, it’s important to note that these recent racist acts of violence are part of a long tradition of anti-Asian hate that has existed in America since the mid-1800s. Read more about how The Atlanta Shootings Fit into a Long Legacy of Anti-Asian Violence in America in this article by Time Magazine. A year into this already traumatizing pandemic, the repeated racist violence against people of color continues at alarming rates.
We know that these tragedies directly impact our SAB community. As an institution where people grow and develop, SAB is responsible for providing a space that is anti-racist, inclusive, and equitable. We feel strongly that this pursuit is a shared responsibility for all members of our community.
SAB condemns the continued acts of racist violence and hatred across our city and our country and stands in support of the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities. We mourn these victims with their families and the greater AAPI community. Visit StopAAPIHate.org for more information about how to report a hate incident, understand what to do when encountering or witnessing hate, and to learn more about what is happening and why.
Sincerely,
Carrie Hinrichs
Executive Director
Jonathan Stafford
Artistic Director
Kay Mazzo
Chairman of Faculty
Sion Harrington
Dean of Students
Elise Drew León
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Additional Resources:
New York City GOV Human Rights – Stop Asian Hate Toolkit
Playbill – Stop AAPI Hate: A Resource Guide to Support the Asian-American Community provides resources on where to donate, organizations to support, and more.
Anti-racism Resources to Support Asian American, Pacific Islander Community provides resources, guidance and tools on supporting the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
We encourage you to share these and other resources with your families, friends, co-workers and communities to create awareness, to educate yourself and others and to open up a dialog.
