As members of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Communication department, we affirm our solidarity with Asian Americans and denounce all forms of violence and discrimination against them. As communication scholars, we recognize the importance of using our teaching and scholarship to interrupt and challenge discourses of white supremacy that continue to represent Asian Americans as exotic Others. These discourses, particularly in the forms of racist and misogynistic objectification of Asian women and problematic political rhetoric that has wrongly blamed members of the community for the ongoing COVID pandemic, have contributed to the recent violence against members of the Asian American community. We reiterate our commitment, as previously put forth in our Statement on Antiracist Work, to dismantling systems of oppression and to supporting affected members of the UWM community. We welcome our students and colleagues to engage us in conversations about these issues.
If you have experienced or witnessed a hate or bias incident, please consider reporting it via this link so UWM can support you and work on providing a safe and inclusive environment.
For any members of the UWM community who are experiencing trauma related to this violence, please reach out to Norris Health Center’s counseling services. The Norris Health Center’s Let’s Talk service is a particularly approachable resource where you can sign up online for a half hour slot and often meet 1-on-1 with a counselor the next day.
For more resources on self-education and self-care to help you combat hate and violence against Asians, please check out this list of resources compiled by the Asian Faculty and Staff Association of UWM:
Resources on Anti-Asian Violence
*Originally compiled for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee panel on anti-Asian violence during COVID-19 (3/11/21); resources continue to be added. Please feel free to share. Credit can be given to the Asian Faculty and Staff Association of UWM; questions can be directed to nguyen39@uwm.edu.
(Note: All links below leave this site.)
National Resources
- Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center
- Stop AAPI Hate’s National report (summary of Anti-Asian violence incidents from March 9, 2020-August 5, 2020)
- HAAPI ERG complication of national resources
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
For Educators
- Crowd-sourced teach-in document: Treating Yellow Peril: Resources to Address Coronavirus Racism
- San Francisco State: Teaching In Days After Anti-Asian violence
- Mark Chung, “Tips to consider when engaging in conversations and actions about anti-Asian violence”
- reThinking Schools: Dear Educators, It Is Time to Fight for Asian America
- Beyond differences: Stand up for AAPI youth national back-to-school curriculum
- Curriculum guide: Combating Anti-Asian Racism in the Age of Coronavirus and accompanying video
- #AtlantaSyllabusby Lori Lopez, University of Wisconsin-Madison
National conversations and interracial solidarity
- “Lady Don’t Take No” podcast by Alicia Garza, Episode: One Struggle, Many Fronts with Alex Tom (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-struggle-many-fronts-with-alex-tom/id1507469180?i=1000510745496)
- Asian American Solidarity with Black Lives Matter: https://crossculturalsolidarity.com/black-asian-solidarity/
- Amber Ruffin: Violence Against Asian Americans isn’t new
- Trevor Noah: Why we should have seen the Atlanta Shootings coming
Learn History
- PBS Asian Americans Documentary – https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/
- Zinn Education Project – https://www.zinnedproject.org/
- The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee
- The Color of Success by Ellen D. Wu
- NEA Asian & Pacific Islander Caucus: AAPI history in the US
- UCLA Asian American Studies Center: Untold Civil Rights Stories
- Vox: Atlanta shootings: A reading list to understand anti-Asian racism in America
Modern day Asian American Activists to follow
- Mia Mingus – Disability and racial justice activist, blog: https://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/
- Ai-jen Poo – Leader, founder, and CEO of National Domestic Workers Alliance
- Liz Kleinrock – Instagram @teachandtransform, https://www.teachandtransform.org/
- Helen Zia – journalist, activist, writer, https://helenzia.com/
- Michelle Kim – Head Queen @ Awaken, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Activist, Instagram @michellekimkim
- Others to follow on Instagram: @AAPIWomennLead, @AdvancingJustic_AAJC, @AsiansForMentalHealth, @ DearAsianYouth, @RepresentAsianProject, @UnapologeticallyAsian_
- This Twitter thread of non-carcareal resources centers the wants of Asian women
- Activism and Advocacy: 18millionrising.org, AngryAsianMan blog, SEARAC
For Children and Families
Talking to Kids about Racial Justice
- Fred Korematsu Institute
- Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance): Speaking Up Against Racism Around the Coronavirus
- CNN: How parents can support kids through (and beyond) the latest wave of anti-Asian violence
- Parents.com: How to talk to kids about anti-Asian violence
Books
- Grace Lin books
- Social Justice Books (early childhood through adult): Asian Americans
UWM/Milwaukee local resources for help/support
- UWM University Counseling Services at Norris (https://uwm.edu/norris/university-counseling-services/)
- Hmong American Women’s Association (https://www.hawamke.org/)
- Lauren Mascari, Counselor (kueichebe.com)