Dear College of Education Community,
We are sending a message of support to our Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members in the College of Education amidst an escalating climate of anti-Asian and anti-Asian American sentiment.
We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in the Center for Asian American Studies, Department of Asian Studies, Center for East Asian Studies, Asian/Asian American Faculty Staff Association, and Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, who have authored this message to the entire UT Asian American community.
The troubling trend of Asians and Asian Americans increasingly being subjected to hateful rhetoric and violent acts is undeniable: anti-Asian crimes have risen by 150 percent in the past year in the United States, particularly in large cities. Media outlets report fear and prejudice toward Asians and Asian Americans, from insults to physical attacks. The recent shootings in Atlanta underscore the terrible violence and justifiable fear that so many of our Asian and Asian American students and colleagues have experienced. Together, we must call out the reality of this situation, and do more to support our AAPI community members.
To learn more about these issues and ways to respond, Stop AAPI Hate is a good website that summarizes the issues and has information, resources, and reporting tools.
The City of Austin has a web page to report incidents. This reporting system is anonymous and will not share identifying information with local, state, or federal law enforcement without your permission.
Our colleagues Amy Tao-Foster at the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMCH), Tony Vo in the Center for Asian American Studies, and Hollie Yang, in the Multicultural Engagement Center have thoughtfully shared a number of resources to assist anyone in our community who is in need of support and assistance during this time. There is also a town hall being planned for next week, and we will share that information as soon as it is available. Thanks so much, Amy, Tony, and Hollie for sharing the following resources!
Candlelight Vigil
The Austin Asian Communities Civic Coalition is holding a candlelight vigil tomorrow evening, March 20, at the Asian American Resource Center.
Workshops for Confronting Anti-Asian Racism
The Center for Asian American Studies and BeVocal created an anti-Asian racism bystander intervention workshop last fall. They are offering two workshops the week of March 29.
Asian Voices @ UT and Community Newsletter
Amy facilitates a drop-in group called Asian Voices @ UT every Tuesday from 4:45-6:15 p.m. In tangent with the group, she also releases a newsletter with mental health and community resources that is identity-affirming. Students can sign up for the newsletter, which includes information on how to sign up for the group’s Zoom.
Virtual Office Hours via The Center for Asian American Studies (CAAS)
Amy has traditionally held office hours at CAAS where students can drop in for support and community, or ask questions about mental health and other resources. Amy will hold office hours from 1-1:50 p.m. on Tuesdays. Students who are interested can email Amy to schedule a Zoom meeting for office hours.
Counseling Appointments for Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) Students
Staff and faculty can also refer students directly to Amy as the Diversity Counseling and Outreach Specialist. If students are hesitant to call CMHC to request an appointment, they can be referred directly to Amy at 512-475-6943. If she is unable to answer, they can leave a message with their name, EID, and phone number, and Amy will be able to call them back to set up a phone or video counseling appointment.
Coping with Racial Trauma
Amy’s Diversity, Counseling, and Outreach colleague, Dr. Connesia Handford, also holds a workshop series for students of color on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m., where they can learn helpful tools and techniques for coping with racial trauma.
Please stay posted for upcoming events in the College of Education as together we confront and work to dismantle Asian and Asian American hate in our community and nation. We are committed to engaging thoughtfully in this work in the College of Education.
In solidarity and partnership,
Charles and Rich
CHARLES R. MARTINEZ, JR. | Dean and Professor
The University of Texas at Austin | College of Education
RICHARD J. REDDICK (pronouns he/him/his) | Associate Dean for Equity, Community Engagement, and Outreach
The University of Texas at Austin | College of Education
