UCLA CCS

Описание: Panel discussion of the recent rise of incidents of violence and racism against Asian Americans

In light of the recent rise of incidents of violence and racism against members of the Asian American community, we have assembled a roundtable of scholars, public intellectuals, and activists around the topic of #StopAsianHate. The panelists will address topics ranging from: the intersection of Asian American Rights issues with anti-Blackness and Black Lives Matter, how political and media discourse about China has contributed to violence against Asian-Americans, and “how to respond” from a civil rights advocacy perspective.

Featuring:
Prof. Thu-Huong Nguyen-Vo (UCLA, AsainAm Studies/Asian Languages & Cultures)
Prof. Claire Jean Kim (UC Irvine, AsianAm Studies/Poli Sci)
Kaiser Kuo (Sinica Podcast)
Prof. Alex Wang (UCLA Law)
Prof. Karin Wang, Esq. (Executive Director, Epstein Program and Professor, UCLA Law)
Dr. Gay Q. Yuen (President of Board of Directors, Chinese American Museum)
Hyeon-Ju Rho (Executive Coach & former Co-director of Advancing Justice, Asian Law Caucus)
Marianna Schroeder (UCLA Sociology major, co '21, managing editor, Journal of World Affairs)
Tiffany Do (UCLA Sociology major, co '21, transfer coordinator SEA CLEAR)
Moderator: Prof. Michael Berry (UCLA, ALC/Film, TV & Digital Media)

Opening:
Welcome to our event # STOP ASIAN HATE. My name is Michael Berry, I am the Director of the Center for Chinese Studies here at UCLA, and I am the moderator for tonight’s event. But before we begin, the first thing I want to do is share some names with you.

Delaina Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon C. Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong A. Yue.

I think it is important that we begin with the names of the victims. It is the profound and tragic loss of these individuals that has brought us all together tonight. But it is not just the horrific violence that occurred on Wednesday that brings us together, it is a long history of systemic racism, profound inequalities, and deeply ingrained prejudices which have impacted so many Americans – we have long witnessed the struggle facing members of the African-American community, indigenous communities, and Hispanic and Latino-American communities. In the context of Anti-Asian hate, this has been manifested in an exponential increase of hate crimes in the United States over the past year.
Asian American students do not make up the “largest minority” on the UCLA campus – they are in fact the majority. 29% of UCLA is Asian American – outnumbering every other demographic on campus. The events of the past year, which saw an escalation of anti-Asian hate speech and violence alongside the spread of COVID-19, and, in particular, the recent violent acts in the Bay Area, Atlanta, and elsewhere have had a profound impact on our community. The impact is felt not only in the sadness, outrage, and anger at these specific acts of violence, but they also reverberate through communities triggering anxiety, fear, and a sense of helplessness.
Tonight’s event is about opening up a space for members of our campus community and beyond to mourn and reflect, while, at the same time, it is an attempt to confront those feelings of helplessness. When I first heard about the shootings on Wednesday, I was quite shocked and still processing what was unfolding…Then on Wednesday night I received an email from a UCLA graduate student, Wang You – she described the crushing impact the events had had on her and wrote: “I am wondering if the Center of Chinese Studies could address this issue and express our care to the victims, as well as the students and other community members who suffered from the frustration, anxiety, and horror brought up by the growing hate crimes.” I want to thank Wang You for shaking me out of my own complacency. That night I started contacting speakers and within 12 hours we assembled this absolutely stellar panel of scholars, public intellectuals, and activists to speak.

My profound thanks to everyone who has graciously agreed to donate their time and share their thoughts and reflections on Anti-Asian Violence and hate. Our panel will address the events from a variety of different perspectives, some personal, some historical, some political…and, often, these different perspectives will intertwine. One thing I did ask each speaker to do was offer “a way up” – what can we do as individuals – students, scholars, everyday citizens – to confront what we see playing on the news and in our everyday lives, and take action.

Before I introduce our featured speakers: I want to thank CCS Assistant Director Esther Jou, all of the units on campus that co-sponsored and helped to promote this event: all of the panelists, and audience members. I am quite moved that we have Chancellor Gene Block, and Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Anna Spain Bradley, (author of GLOBAL RACISM) who have both graciously agreed to offer opening remarks.