Joint Statement on Anti-Asian Hate and Violence

The March 16th mass shooting in Atlanta that left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent, occurred in the wake of a yearlong upsurge in hate speech, hate crimes and other forms of harassment against members of the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander community in the United States. It marks yet another painful episode in America’s long, troubled history of anti-Asian racism and violence.

We, the faculty members of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Department of American Studies and Ethnicity, East Asian Studies Center, Korean Studies Institute, Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture, Center for Transpacific Studies, and U.S.-China Institute at USC, condemn all these acts of violence and incidents of hate speech and discrimination. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive space for all members of the USC Asian Pacific Islander (API) community, which includes faculty, staff, students, and any visitors to our campus. Asians and Asian-Americans have a long history of contributing to our university. As USC Dornsife Dean Amber Miller said in her statement, “USC would not be the dynamic intellectual and social environment it is today without a history of extraordinary contributions from students, faculty, and staff of Asian descent that dates back to its very first years.” (Statement from the Office of Dean Amber Miller, March 18th)

Today, over 36% of the USC student body consists of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and international students from Asia. We demand that they be treated with respect, dignity, and be free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. USC President Carol L. Folt stated on March 19th, “USC is – and will always be – a place that welcomes everyone, no matter where they come from.” We stand together with members of the Black and African American community, the Latinx community, LGBTQ+ community, the Indigenous community, the Muslim community, Jewish community, and all others who have been targeted by hate, violence, and discrimination.

Many of our faculty have been active in speaking out against anti-Asian racism and violence. Links to some of their writings, interviews, and lectures can be found on the EASC website at https://dornsife.usc.edu/eascenter. Our research centers and institutes will host future events on this topic, including two on April 1st (Hate is a Virus and Politics of Friendship). We all commit to make society a more inclusive and equitable place through our teaching, research, academic programs, and outreach. We ask the entire USC community to join us in this effort.