Dear Bruin Community:

Just one month ago, you received a BruinPost addressing a series of violent, hateful incidents targeting members of the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander community here in California. Today, with a heavy heart, we write you in the aftermath of another horrific attack. In Georgia earlier this week, eight women, six of whom were of Asian descent, were murdered by a gunman.

We grieve with the friends and families of the victims and all those who are feeling vulnerable and attacked. Time and again, particularly over the past year, we have seen too many groups targeted and subjected to violence. We know that racism, misogyny and hatred harms us all.

In a powerful, joint statement issued yesterday, faculty in our Asian American studies department, the Asian American Studies Center and the Center for the Study of Women highlighted the need to uncover and tackle the root motivations of attacks against Asian people and Asian women in particular, especially in the context of a long history of anti-Asian violence.

We completely agree. Anyone who examines the latest report from Stop Asian American Pacific Islander Hate, noting an appalling 3,795 incidents just since March of last year, can clearly recognize the urgency of understanding that this is a national crisis. Equally urgent is the need to confront the endemic exploitation and violence against women. We must all recognize our shared humanity and support one another. As Bruins, we know that our words and actions always matter.

Tonight we will be joining a town hall, sponsored by the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies, to address the recent wave of anti-Asian racism and violence. We invite you all to attend. Our Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is planning another event on this critical issue in early April and will announce details soon.

Please continue to reach out to each other with the compassion we need to heal. Let us all strive for a better world.

Sincerely,

Gene D. Block
Chancellor

Anna Spain Bradley
Vice Chancellor, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion