{"id":4013,"date":"2021-03-30T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hoodcomstudies.com\/theblueandgrey\/?p=4013"},"modified":"2021-03-30T15:40:50","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T19:40:50","slug":"frederick-community-addresses-violence-against-asian-americans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theblueandgrey.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/30\/frederick-community-addresses-violence-against-asian-americans\/","title":{"rendered":"Frederick community addresses violence against Asian Americans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Maddie Garvis\/\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the Frederick community are in mourning following the March 17 shootings in Georgia that are the latest in a series of hate crimes against Asian Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shootings targeted three massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia, and left eight people dead. Six of the eight victims were Asian American women, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Asian American Center of Frederick held a candlelight vigil on March 24 in the parking lot of the Frederick Town Mall to remember the victims of the Atlanta shootings and all victims of anti-Asian violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pat Simons, a board member of the Asian American Center and adjunct professor of ESL at Frederick Community College, attended the vigil with her husband to support the Asian American community of Frederick. \u201cWe are here supporting the vigil against hate of Asian Americans and all varieties of people,\u201d Simons said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also attending the vigil was Monica Reid, who emphasized the importance of combating racist attitudes in our country. \u201cI stand up for justice and equal rights for everyone,\u201d Reid said. \u201cIt\u2019s important we try to eliminate the racist attitudes that have grown in our country in the past four years, and that we memorialize those lost in Atlanta.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Stop AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Hate Coalition has been tracking harassment and violence against Asian Americans since March 19, 2020. From then to Feb. 28, 2021, the coalition has received 3,795 reports of harassment or violence, 503 of them reported in the first few months of 2021. A large majority of reports are made by Asian American women, according to Stop AAPI Hate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s believed by many that hate crimes against Asian Americans in the US have increased as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University has found that police in many major US cities saw a sharp increase in racially motivated crimes against Asian Americans when comparing 2019 to 2020. New York City had three incidents reported in 2019, and 27 in 2020. Los Angeles went from seven reported incidents in 2019 to 15 in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Andrea Chapdelaine released an email statement on Tuesday, March 23, expressing support for members of the Asian community in light of the shootings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI join the community and those everywhere mourning the latest victims of hate in the Atlanta shootings,\u201d Chapdelaine said. \u201cMy heart goes out to our students, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni of color, especially those in the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, who are once again reminded of the inequities and violence they face. I see you. I support you. I stand beside you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hood\u2019s newly hired Assistant Director of Student Engagement for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Alex Rago, also commented on the shootings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis event is devastating and therefore it is important that every student knows that Hood provides resources and support to the entire campus community,\u201d Rago said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rago also emphasized the college\u2019s continuing commitment to creating a diverse community free from hate and discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe College and I encourage individuals to celebrate their differences and create a space where we can all learn from one another,\u201d Rago said. \u201cHood has a zero-tolerance policy for hateful and discriminatory actions within our community. Regardless of ability, age, citizenship, ethnicity, gender identify, race, sex, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status we want everyone on our campus to feel safe and at home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sophomore Lydia Kazakavage noted attacks against Asian Americans aren\u2019t new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am devastated, heartbroken, frustrated, numb, and conflicted,\u201d Kazakavage said. \u201cI feel heartbroken for the families who lost a loved one. I feel frustrated over how the media is covering this. I feel numb, because racism against Asians isn’t new, it’s just been ignored or played down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kazakavage is of Chinese descent but was raised by a white family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI’m conflicted because I’m adopted, so my parents are white,\u201d Kazakavage said. \u201cI never really experienced racism since I grew up in a white household. So, while I feel all these different emotions, I’m also conflicted over whether or not I can have them. Regardless of how I feel inside, on the outside I am Chinese, and that alone is enough to worry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the Hood community can click here<\/a> to report any incidents of harassment or racial bias they experience on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students and staff can also find more information about Hood\u2019s plan to fight racial injustice here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n