Solidarity with our Asian Community

Fri Mar 19 16:17:31 EDT 2021

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Dear Undergraduates,

This week should be a time of mourning for us all. The horrendous shootings in Georgia on Tuesday have left us shaken and infuriated. As many of you know, six Asian women, among two others were killed in massage parlors around Atlanta. It's no coincidence that this was the case. This was a blatant attack on the Asian community and consequently, our whole MIT community.

This Tuesday's tragedies bear heavy weight. It is our most vulnerable-- women of color and the elderly -- that are being targeted today. From the systemic fetishization and objectification of Asian women to the xenophobia attached to COVID-19 that has led to a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans, it is clear that there is much to be unpacked, a host of systemic problems baked into our education systems, governments, and a number of actors. Yet while Tuesday's events are the result of a society we already knew to be deeply prejudiced, we are still left reeling at the tragedy that should never have happened, that robbed us of lives and that has left our Asian communities in fear and grief.

We actively condemn the recent surge of anti-Asian racism and reject any form of discrimination or harassment that seek to subordinate members of the Asian community. As an MIT community, we must come together in this time of despair and support the members of our community in need. You can expect to hear more from the UA in the coming weeks.

And to our Asian community, know that what you are feeling right now, whether that is anger, devastation, confusion, whatever it may be, that it is okay. It is okay and we stand by you. We encourage you to email S^3, call MIT Mental Health, reach out to your family and loved ones, do what you must to get by in this time. We know it is hard, but know that you don't have to go through it alone. On Monday (3/22) at 8PM ET, the Asian American Initiative, Asian American Association, Chinese Students Club, Association of Taiwanese Students, and South Asian American Students are holding a community discussion on this Zoom<http://bit.ly/mitaapi> to unpack and process what happened on Tuesday and these past couple months. Come by as you are.

  *   Student Mental Health and Counseling Services<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AMwAAJUWKzcAAcroeEYAAAA8v6cAAAAAGqoAJQ7sAAiQzwBgJG26fwVopM-DS-a753X4o-7L-QAIIWc/1/7NuhJNVeGLV4I0dG6ccZuw/aHR0cHM6Ly9tZWRpY2FsLm1pdC5lZHUvc2VydmljZXMvbWVudGFsLWhlYWx0aC1jb3Vuc2VsaW5n> (617-253-2916), Student Support Services<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AMwAAJUWKzcAAcroeEYAAAA8v6cAAAAAGqoAJQ7sAAiQzwBgJG26fwVopM-DS-a753X4o-7L-QAIIWc/2/6LfytFIqcknvBmUs0K_ezw/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdHVkZW50bGlmZS5taXQuZWR1L3Mz> (617-253-4861) and GradSupport<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AMwAAJUWKzcAAcroeEYAAAA8v6cAAAAAGqoAJQ7sAAiQzwBgJG26fwVopM-DS-a753X4o-7L-QAIIWc/3/Yul5yFwEEfTra6-DyT0Inw/aHR0cHM6Ly9vZ2UubWl0LmVkdS9kZXZlbG9wbWVudC9ncmFkc3VwcG9ydC8> (617-253-4860 or gradsupport at mit.edu) can talk with students over Zoom or on the phone during regular weekday business hours. On nights and weekends, Mental Health and Counseling's on-call clinician can be reached at 617-253-4481.
  *   The Dean on Call (617-253-1212) is also available to students from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours/day on weekends and holidays.
  *   For spiritual support, we encourage you to reach out to the Office of Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life<http://inj9.mjt.lu/lnk/AMwAAJUWKzcAAcroeEYAAAA8v6cAAAAAGqoAJQ7sAAiQzwBgJG26fwVopM-DS-a753X4o-7L-QAIIWc/6/VSoyb3q_ozIINu6yzsU2VA/aHR0cDovL3N0dWRlbnRsaWZlLm1pdC5lZHUvb3JzZWw>.

Sincerely,
Danielle Geathers
UA President
She/Her/Hers

Yu Jing Chen
UA Vice President
She/Her/Hers

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