Uniting to Fight Against Anti-AAPI Hate
/“Consciousness is power. Consciousness is education and knowledge. Consciousness is becoming aware. Tomorrow’s world is yours to build.”
We at Inspiring Educators stand in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. We are appalled by the recent targeted attacks by another emboldened gunman and we mourn the loss of eight people, six of whom were Asian American women. We are heartsick for the families of the victims, as well as the Asian American community and in particular, Asian American women.
These events in Atlanta are an unspeakable tragedy motivated by hate, prejudice, and Anti-AAPI sentiment.
Taken from the Stop AAPI Hate press release: “This latest attack will only exacerbate the fear and pain that the Asian American community continues to endure. There has been a documented pattern of recent attacks against our community, as we have received nearly 3,800 reports of hate incidents across the country since March 2020. Not enough has been done to protect Asian Americans from heightened levels of hate, discrimination and violence. Concrete action must be taken now. Anything else is unacceptable.”
While the history of racism against Asian American communities exists deep within the fabric of our country, we recognize that Anti-AAPI violence and rhetoric has skyrocketed since the start of this pandemic. While these acts of hate have recently been amplified, they are not new.
Our community stands united against racism. And striving for an anti-racist world means working tirelessly to end all forms of structural racism aimed at Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.
At Inspiring Educators, we hold inclusion at the core of our work and we honor the identities of all those in our community and beyond. We are committed to continuing our own work to understand and fight against systemic racism, understanding the nuanced, insidious ways in which different communities are harmed by the status quo.
As an organization, we will continue to embody our values by supporting leaders seeking to disrupt racial tension and discrimination in their own communities, and to help them strengthen their emotional intelligence, which we see as a necessary precursor to driving equity.
We are committed to protecting and uplifting AAPI individuals in our community, and we implore you to do the same.
In Community,
Belle Linda Halpern and the Inspiring Educators Family
