AAPI Community Support and Resources

The following statement of support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community was sent to PACRAO members by the President Jana Jaraysi and the PACRAO Board on March 19, 2021. Resources for the community follow below.

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Hello Friends and Colleagues,

We continue to see and hear about hate crimes and discrimination directed at the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. It is heartbreaking, traumatic, and disturbing to see this happen in the communities many of us are part of, or work with and engage with, everyday. PACRAO stands against the hatred our Asian American and Pacific Islander community has experienced in Atlanta and across the nation with the increase of anti-Asian violence. While the hate crimes are current events, unacceptable behavior has been impacting these communities for much longer than many of our history books have detailed.

As higher education professionals, we must be willing to confront these issues and take time to understand the history behind these events to better serve our communities and students. We are always ready to confront racism when we see it. We encourage you to reach out to your AAPI colleagues and friends, check in on them, and provide support. Many are tired, scared, exhausted, and ultimately saddened by the crimes we’ve seen this week, this past year, and for so very long. 

To our AAPI PACRAO members, we see you and we stand with you. Do not hesitate to reach out and allow us to support you however you need.
  
Sincerely,

Jana and the PACRAO Board 
 

Resources

• AACRAO Statement

Report Hate Crimes

• Stopaapihate.org
• Standingagainsthatred.org

Donations

• 61 ways to donate in support of Asian Communities 

Readings from Learning for Justice Center

• Guide to responding to racism toward Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, published by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance project. 
• The Model Minority Myth, explores why racism and hate crimes against the Asian communities are overlooked.

Podcasts

• Los Angeles Times’ Asian Enough? dives into the identity and experience of Asian Americans. 
• Dear Asian Americans for and by Asian Americans, focusing on authentic storytelling rooted in origin, identity, and legacy. 
• Self Evident challenges the narratives of Asian Americans by sharing real and personal stories.

Documentaries

• “The Racism Virus”town hall focuses on the rise in hate crimes.
• Deported is a short documentary about a little-known crisis affecting Southeast Asian immigrants.