A Note From Our Interim Director

Dear Community,

My heart is hurting right now as I think about the 8 murders in Atlanta. I’m sad, I’m angry, and I feel powerless. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I’ve felt this way, and it likely won’t be the last. I’ve followed the uptick in anti-Asian hate crimes since Covid-19 first began to spread in the United States, knowing that for the perpetrators it is easier for them to hate what they see as a physical representation of the intangible fears they have.

I read about Bawi Cung, who was shopping in a Sam’s Club with his family last March when he was punched in the back of his head and then slashed his face with a knife. His assailant then stabbed Chung’s two sons, aged 6 and 3.

In January of this year, Vicha Ratanapakdee, an 84-year old man was attacked on the streets of San Francisco and died of his injuries. In between March 2020 and February 2021, there were over 3,700+ incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes reported to Stop AAPI Hate.

Then the murders in Atlanta happened and added multiple layers of trauma and pain. I’ve been trying to stay off of social media and news sites, but I’ve seen the Cherokee County Sheriff captain’s hamfisted, racist comments. What’s frustrating is not only the senseless murders, but the hesitancy to admit that they were rooted in racism, sexism, and misogyny.

Ultimately, what matters is that 8 lives were lost yesterday. Ultimately, what matters is that day in and day out, our sense of safety, of belonging, is chipped away piece by piece.

People of Color in Publishing wholeheartedly and irrevocably condemns the violence and the exponential rise in hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. This anti-Asian violence is heartbreaking and enraging, and, tragically, has deep roots that can be traced throughout American history. To our Asian American and Pacific Islander community, we stand with you.

As publishing professionals, we must all speak out, reflect, and take action to stop hate against the AAPI community in America. The stories we create, the words we use, the images we portray all play an important role in shaping society. And every day, we are seeing that the narratives we portray about groups of people aren’t just on the page. They are real. They can be life saving. But they can also fuel the kind of hate that takes lives. We must all strive to do better and be better. We must support our Asian American and Pacific Islander colleagues. We must support the organizations working to dismantle white supremacy.

Here at People of Color in Publishing, we’ve strived to show that support through all avenues of the work we do. We ask and implore our white publishing colleagues and institutions to do the same. Anti-racist work is a lifelong commitment that every publishing professional and institution should engage with and invest in.

I hope that you are also able to give yourself permission to take time and focus on self-care. When I first read the news Wednesday morning, I was horrified but decided to proceed with my work day as usual. Then my colleagues and friends started to check in with me, and I realized that I wasn’t okay. At all. That is what a white supremacist culture has done to me: I’ve been taught to suppress my emotions in favor of being a “productive” member of society.

White allies, if you’re reading this, please offer your BIPOC and AAPI colleagues compassion and speak up if others are not acknowledging the tragedy that has happened.

Our inbox is always open for those seeking guidance and resources. Credit to Annysa Polanco, director of DEI at Penguin Random House for the quote above, and to the Museum of Chinese in America for some of the resources below. We encourage all to donate and support organizations (including the aforementioned Museum of Chinese in America) at the frontlines of this work:

Organizations to support

https://www.imreadymovement.org/

https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/

https://www.aaartsalliance.org/

https://aaww.org/

https://acttochange.org/#about

Bystander Intervention Resources:

https://www.ihollaback.org/bystander-resources/

Petitions to Sign:

Justice for Christian Hall

Get Mainstream News Coverage of elderly Asian American

End Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans