Dear CSSW Community –
On March 2nd, I sent a note to our community condemning Anti-Asian violence. And I mentioned then how horrifying it is to consider the frequency with which I am sending these notes out. Less than two weeks later, I am writing yet another note acknowledging the most recent hate crime against a person of Asian descent, which happened in Yonkers, NY. This is devastating.
Stop AAPI Hate released a report indicating that over 10,000 hate incidents were committed against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders between 2020 and 2021 – a number that should make all of us cringe. In addition to fear, I imagine that some in our community are also feeling tired, frustrated, and angry.
It’s clear that the best way to get over something is to walk straight through it. So for today, I will hold back from talking about hope, and instead encourage you to feel whatever you genuinely feel right now. I will also ask you to take care of yourselves. Please lean in to those practices that make you feel whole and well.
In community,
Melissa