Statement on Anti-Asian Racism

March 23, 2021

The Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, together with the Asian Institute, condemns the anti-Asian violence of last Wednesday’s mass shooting in Atlanta.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, we have seen increased violence and discrimination targeted at the Asian community— the latest sorry chapter in a long history of anti-Asian racism in Canada and the United States.

We share the grief of those in our community who have experienced this hatred firsthand, and we reaffirm our role in the University’s commitment to understanding and working against all forms of racism and gender-based violence.

As a school of global affairs and public policy, we strive to foster a deep understanding of diverse regions, cultures, systems, and experiences with the aim of building a more inclusive, equitable, and just world.

Through the Asian Institute, our work focuses on the histories and lived experiences of Asian, Asian-Canadian and diaspora peoples. We embrace the opportunity and responsibility to use our platform to investigate and tackle systems of oppression through our research, teaching and public engagement.  We will continue this work, and keep the conversation going.

For additional resources, please view this guide.

As part of ongoing commitments to these issues:

  • Please join us for a session on anti-Asian racism on Wednesday, March 24th at 6:30pm ET hosted by the Asian Institute’s Centre for the Study of Korea: “What Does the Atlanta Tragedy Mean? Korean Diaspora Speaks.” Register here.
  • On Friday, March 26th at noon ET, join colleagues in the Women and Gender Studies Institute and the Department of Sociology for a community roundtable on “Anti-Asian Racism and Intersectional Violence.” Register here.

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