Echols Council Statement in Support of and in Solidarity with the Asian and Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 20, 2021

TW: violence, racism, white supremacy

We, as Echols Council, stand in solidarity with our fellow students in the Asian and Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi-American (APIDA) communities on Grounds and across the nation in light of the shootings in Georgia that claimed the lives of eight people, six of them women of Asian descent. We take the time to honor the victims Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Yong Ae Yue, Hyun Jung Grant, Soon Chung Park, Suncha Kim, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Paul Andre Michels. We condemn the recent escalation in hate crimes against the Asian-American community and urge others to do the same by standing in solidarity against racism, xenophobia, and white supremacy. The atrocities of Tuesday are not an isolated event, as this fear and hatred is connected to a long and pervasive history of anti-Asian violence and racism in our country. The Council recognizes the perpetuation of bias and hatred toward our Asian and Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi-American community members, and we wish to offer the Echols Council as a platform to uplift the voices of these individuals.

The disturbing rise of anti-Asian violence highlights the importance of education and awareness as a means of combating racism in our communities. We must pursue our passion for education beyond the classroom by educating ourselves on the history of marginalized communities, both within and outside of Grounds. We encourage everyone to lend their voices and support to the Asian and APIDA community here in Charlottesville and throughout the nation. We have compiled resources for education, support, and action and will be working to share those with everyone via our social communication channels. If you have information or resources you think would be helpful, please let us know.

There will be a Candlelight Vigil held on Saturday, March 20th at 7:30pm in the University’s Amphitheatre to honor the victims of the Atlanta shooting and to reflect on the violence that has been endured by the Asian-American and Asian community. If you are in attendance, please adhere to University guidelines on COVID-19 in order to maintain the safety of our student body, faculty, and staff. Following are the details from the organizers of the vigil:

“This time and space will serve as an opportunity for students and members of the community to come together and reflect on the recent violence that the Asian-American community has faced. The organizers ask that you bring flowers if you are able and comply with all masking and social distancing protocols. All members of the Charlottesville and UVA communities are welcome; please feel free to share with others.”

In Solidarity,

The Echols Council at the University of Virginia