To our community,
As integral members of the Social-Organizational Psychology program's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Antiracism (DEIA) Working Group, the MD-ICCCR shares this statement with our wider community. We stand in solidarity with our Asian and Asian American members and community at this time of increasing hatred, discrimination, and racially-motivated violence. We have watched in horror over the past year as hate crime rates against Asian Americans in major cities have increased nearly 150%.
We have been newly heartbroken by this week’s news of 8 people murdered in spas in the Metro Atlanta area, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent. While the exact motives of the shooter are still being examined, noting that the majority were women of Asian descent is sobering. We condemn these acts of violence and all violence motivated by race and gender.
We hope that all take care during this time and recognize that we may feel the pain of these events over some time. We encourage you to take advantage of Teachers College's mental wellness services for continued support, such as counseling and other services.
Through this distressing time, we recommit ourselves to the work set out by our working group this academic year, a group created “...in response to the ongoing harm and injustices being inflicted on Black, Indigenous and People of Color in America”, and designed “… to systematically listen to members of our community – students, faculty, staff and alumni – and then reflect and act on concerns, challenges and opportunities for better promoting DEIA in our own program”. We thank you again for sharing your experiences, your questions, and your insights over the past months as participants in this difficult and timely work.
As students, faculty, staff, and alumni dedicated to improving organizational and group dynamics, becoming change leaders, resolving conflict constructively, and promoting social justice in our workplaces and communities, we all have a role to play in acknowledging and eradicating prejudice, discrimination, and hate. We have committed ourselves to rooting out, acknowledging and working to dismantle the systems of White supremacy inherent in each of us, our curriculum, our work and our teachings. We invite your participation in this journey for, and with, our community and endeavor to create a community that is welcoming and supportive of every member. Please feel free to reach out to us at deia@tc.columbia.edu with your thoughts, suggestions and questions.
For those who are seeking opportunities to learn how to stand up to anti-Asian harassment, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) & Hollaback! have joined forces to offer both bystander intervention training and training for those who are experiencing harassment. Additional opportunities to stand against racism can be found here.
In solidarity,
MD-ICCCR Staff & the Teachers College S-OP DEIA Working Group