APAHE Resolution Denouncing Anti-Asian Racism Due to COVID-19 Global Pandemic in Support of AAPI Communities

PDF: APAHE Resolution Denouncing Anti-Asian Racism Due to COVID-19 Global Pandemic in Support of Asian American Pacific Islander Communities

WHEREAS, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) is dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities for Asian and Pacific American students and creating a better understanding of issues in the public affecting Asian and Pacific Americans in higher education;

WHEREAS, APAHE for 33 years has been vocal to ensure that Asian and Pacific American students receive equal and fair treatment in higher education without regard to their race, gender, or national origin;

WHEREAS, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population is more heterogeneous than any other racial group in the U.S., with more than 48 ethnicities, over 300 spoken languages, various socioeconomic statuses, immigration histories, cultures, and religions;

WHEREAS, there are over 130 Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) across the United States with programs that play a vital role in preserving the heritage, culture, history, and experiences of AAPIs;

WHEREAS, APAHE has received reports of AAPI students, faculty, staff, and community members who have experienced racially-motivated slurs, discrimination, and violence since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States in January 2020;

WHEREAS, APAHE is troubled with our national leaders’ racial scapegoating of Chinese Americans by referring to COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus” and “Kung-Flu,” thereby promoting Anti-Asian xenophobia, which already has a history rooted in decades of discriminatory and biased American immigration policies that have targeted immigrants from Asia;

WHEREAS, APAHE is troubled with the over 1500 incident reports filed with the STOP AAPI HATE reporting center , founded by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies Department;

WHEREAS, APAHE is troubled that the STOP AAPI HATE incident reports are from 45 states across the nation and Washington DC, and that incidents include civil rights violations such as workplace discrimination, being refused services from businesses, verbal and physical harassment;

WHEREAS, Congress passed Public Law 102-450 in 1992, annually designating May as Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month in tribute to the generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have enriched the country’s history and are integral to its future success.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) denounces xenophobia and COVID-19 related Anti-Asian racism and discrimination. APAHE joins AAPI community-based organizations and civil rights organizations in affirming its commitment to the safety and well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Furthermore, APAHE calls on all educational leaders to commit to fostering an educational curriculum that combats all forms of racism and discrimination.

Affirmed and adopted this 3rd day of May, 2020