Letter to the Editor: Asian Student Union

While Asians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and others who identify as part of the Asian community (AAPI) faced racism long before COVID-19, the pandemic has exacerbated anti-Asian hate. Recently, these unwarranted acts of violence and harassment have received more media coverage due to the March 16 Georgia spa shooting. This attack was a tragic combination of xenophobia, racism and sexism that ended with the deaths of eight people. Six of these people were women of Asian descent. The names of the victims are Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan and Daoyou Feng.

These attacks are not new, isolated or rare. They are what the AAPI communities have been calling attention to throughout history. These acts of violence are often targeted towards the more vulnerable members of our community. In the wake of COVID-19, we have witnessed videos of people harassing the elderly and vandalizing stores, as well as a president who referred to the coronavirus as “Kung-flu” and the “Chinese virus.” If we take a look at our collective history in the United States, xenophobia and systemic racism are far from new. The trends of scapegoating our communities are the same trends many of our parents and grandparents observed themselves.

For the first time in over 30 years, there has been a congressional hearing to discuss anti-Asian hate. For the first time in many of our lives, we are talking about anti-Asian racism in a way that is being taken seriously by our peers. For the third time this school year, President Wim Wiewel and the Executive Council have issued a bulletin via email condemning the acts of violence we see on the news.

We, the leaders of the Lewis & Clark Asian Student Union, condemn the violence against the AAPI community in the United States as well as at LC. The LC bulletin titled “Standing as a community in the face of violence against Asians and Asian Americans” failed to acknowledge the racism and harassment LC students have faced on our own campus. 

Instead of releasing a statement, LC could take concrete action before attacks like these happen. LC could also take action to hold up the broader AAPI community. This could be shown by supporting AAPI-owned businesses, bringing in speakers from the AAPI community, listening when our communities are hurting and other community-centered actions. Furthermore, LC could make sure that discussion about marginalized groups, microaggressions, internal biases and fetishization are things every LC student is educated on regardless of their majors. While condemning violence towards the AAPI community is a first step, without discussing the many repercussions of systemic racism that are excused daily on this campus, this anti-violence statement is futile. Given LC’s boasting of their multicultural engagement, study abroad programs and diversity, addressing tokenism and fetishization that BIPOC students experience on a daily basis is essential.

The Georgia spa shooting has made anti-AAPI attacks more personal for the LC Asian community. For many of us, we are reminded of this undeserved threat to our lives. For others, this is just another event to add to the growing list of things that anger us. No matter what reaction we have, it is added stress that does no good. Being an Asian student as of now often involves consistent pressure to perform spectacularly in the classroom, while simultaneously mourning our community.

In our student union meetings, the topics of fear, safety and belonging are ever-present. While racism is not hypervisible in the AAPI community, microaggressions, fetishization, tokenism and other types of aggression are daily occurrences.

We regularly share stories about these small but influential acts of racism that we see from staff and students alike. Even in our most recent meeting, we talked about how white people often feel more comfortable in Asian spaces than Asians do. Nearly all of us do not know how to react or how to feel when we notice these things, partly because we thought LC was better than that. While it is more inclusive than other institutions, it is not enough. This is not an article meant to condemn LC, it is meant to highlight places for growth and improvement.

The Asian Student Union also calls on LC students to think critically about the media we consume, the preconceived ideas we have and the emotional labor we are — perhaps unintentionally — asking our AAPI classmates and friends to go through. We as a student union do not speak for every Asian individual on this campus nor do we represent the AAPI community as a whole. It is not our nor any single student’s responsibility to educate you or be a checkbox on your journey to becoming anti-racist. 

The Asian Student Union stands in solidarity with other communities experiencing marginalization; we are all fighting against white supremacy. Here are some things anyone can do to support minority communities and fight against structural racism. 

First, constructively criticize all racist acts or comments, no matter how small. This could look like saying, “Hey, I do not think that was a very nice thing to say or do. Even if your intention is not to hurt or exclude, it can still make someone uncomfortable and here is why.” Help others learn, and if they do not learn, cut them out of your life.

Second, talk about the effects of all forms of racism in all-white spaces. This can be incredibly difficult for BIPOC and it is not our responsibility to educate but all-white spaces are often the ones that need to have these conversations the most. 

Third, if your friend group is all or predominantly white, or if the spaces you participate in are all or predominantly white, actively consider why BIPOC are not choosing to be in that space or in that group. What are they seeing or experiencing that you are not? How are you contributing to this?

Fourth, examine your own personal preferences and make sure you are seeking out a relationship, friendship or interaction because you like the individual and not just their race. 

Lastly, the Asian Student Union asks that we remember the names of the victims of the Georgia spa shooting: Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan and Daoyou Feng.

The Asian Student Union is led by an alliance of LC students who strive to create an inclusive space for AAPI students.