The VRA Board and EAC stand in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community

Diversity, Equity and ...Executive Board
Written By

The VRA Executive Board and Equitable Action Committee stand in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the field of visual resources and beyond. Anti-AAPI racism is not new to the United States, but it has seen an ugly increase since the beginning of 2020. With the onset of COVID-19, reported anti-Asian and anti-AAPI hate crimes have risen by 149% percent even while overall reported hate crimes have decreased by 7%. The organization Stop AAPI Hate reported on 3,795 incidents from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021, which included verbal harassment, physical assault, civil rights violations, and online harassment. The Pew Center found in July 2020 that “three-in-ten Asian adults (31%) say they have been subject to slurs or jokes because of their race or ethnicity since the outbreak began” and “majority of Asian adults (58%) say it is more common for people to express racist or racially insensitive views about people who are Asian than it was before the coronavirus outbreak.” On March 16, 2021, eight massage parlor workers, six of whom were Asian women, were murdered as a result of white supremacist and misogynist violence: Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, and Paul Andre Michels. The VRA condemns this hate crime and sends its condolences to the family members and friends of those who were slain, and all those in the AAPI community who are mourning this loss. We understand that this violence, combined with the events of the last year, may have an understandably negative impact on the health and well-being of our AAPI colleagues. A non-exhaustive list of mental health resources for the AAPI community can be found below; please let VRA know if there are additional ways we may support you. You can email the board at conduct@vraweb.org to report incidents that occurred at any VRA conferences, affiliated events, or online forums. You may also always use this form to let the EAC know your concerns you have related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Or, you can write the Board directly at board@vraweb.org or the EAC at ea@vraweb.org. It is critical that white people recognize that the United States was founded in white supremacy, and that anti-AAPI racism and violence are one painful part of our legacy. Read about a select handful of this history in this article. For more in-depth analysis of anti-Asian racism, see this reading list, and for information on Asian history, solidarity, and feminism, see this reading list. We must learn from the past, acknowledge what is going on today, and collectively act to bring about change for a better tomorrow. Anti-racist practices need to be embedded in visual resource work, as well, including but not limited to anti-racist hiring and retention practices, collections development, cataloging and description, curation, and programming and outreach. For those outside the AAPI community, please see opportunities for bystander intervention and financial support below. Training:

Organizations to donate to:Atlanta-area organizations:

Justice advocacy organizations:

 Mental health resources for the AAPI community:

------References:https://sites.northwestern.edu/asag/about-us/who-is-apida/CAA:CAA Antiracism Working Group Statement in Support of the AAPI Community The Chicago Area Archivists’ Antiracism Working Group stands in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander community within CAA and beyond. We unequivocally condemn the racist acts of violence and pervasive discrimination against Asian Americans. This past year has seen a dramatic and tragic rise in hate crimes against people of Asian descent in the United States, including the heartbreaking murders of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, by a white domestic terrorist that took place in Atlanta on March 16th. These incidents follow a long history of anti-Asian racism in the United States and underscore the urgent need to dismantle white supremacy in our country. We understand that this violence brings harm, anxiety, and grief to our AAPI members and offer our solidarity and support. A select list of national and local resources for AAPI folks and for others to support the AAPI community: In Wake Of Deadly Georgia Shooting, Chicagoans Are Combating Anti-Asian Violence Nationwide: ‘Be Part Of The Solution’ Block Club Chicago Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago Chicago Community Trust Asian Giving Circle Community Resources | Asian American Resource and Cultural Center | University of Illinois at Chicago Letter to Asian Diasporic Library Workers up//root Stop AAPI Hate 61 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities New York Magazine Signed, CAA’s Antiracism Working GroupARLIS:[ARLIS-L] Condemning the Attacks Against Asian Americans Condemning the Attacks Against Asian AmericansThank you for taking the time to read this statement. The hope of the ARLIS/NA Diversity and Inclusion Committee (ARLIS/NA D&I) is for these words to resonate into efforts of support and compassion that extend beyond our roles in librarianship.  When the former occupant of the White House introduced COVID-19 to America, he used his podium to blanket the virus in racially charged rhetoric associated with the rise in hate crimes in the Asian American community. According to a report by STOP AAPI HATE, a group composed of Asian American and Pacific Islander American civic organizations, between March 2020 and February 2021, verbal harassment made up 68% of attacks and by February 2021 physical assaults became the 3rd leading form of discrimination and made up 11% of incidents. On February 3rd, 61-year-old Noel Quitana was in the New York subway station on his way to work when he felt kicks in his back. Those kicks were followed by slashes that led to about 100 stitches to his face. Unfortunately, this violent incident is not isolated. On March 16th, a rampage ended with the murder of 8 people in 3 massage parlors, 6 were reported to be of Asian descent. Furthermore, “How San Francisco Erased a Neighborhood,” a report by VOX, examines a history often forgotten, a fight for fair-housing by Filipino immigrants who were brutalized by members of the surrounding community, segregated, then violently displaced through gentrification. As the country begins to examine a past littered with inhumanity, library professionals must be vigilant in eradicating the perpetuation of racist tropes, dehumanization, and the facilitation of segregative practices. The ARLIS/NA D&I Committee condemns these acts of persecution and stands with our Asian colleagues during this tumultuous time! The ARLIS/NA D&I Committee welcomes feedback on how we can better support the Asian community at this time and beyond! Please send suggestions to natisha.n.harper@gmail.com.

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