亲爱的男男性接触者社区成员:
一年多以前, in his first prime-time address to the nation, President Biden put the scourge of anti-Asian racism 和 hate in this country front 和 center for millions of Americans 和 countless millions worldwide. Referring to “vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who have been attacked, 骚扰, 指责, 和 scapegoated” in growing numbers over the previous year, 总统说:“这是错误的. 这是反美的. 它必须停止.
可悲的是, 从那以后的一年, this terrible trend has only gotten worse, with the Center for the Study of Hate 和 Extremism reporting that anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. 与2020年相比，2021年增长了339%. In New York City, the NYPD’s report was even more appalling, citing an increase of 361%. 报道 停止仇视亚太裔 – a coalition that was created two years ago during the early days of the COVID-19 p和emic to fight discrimination against Asian Americans 和 Pacific Isl和ers – echoes these significant spikes in the numbers of hate incidents. From reports made directly to the organization, verbal harassment 继续s to make up the biggest share of total incidents reported (at 63%), 而, 令人, physical assault comprises the second largest category (at 16%).
Most disturbing perhaps has been a recent spate of New York-area attacks against members of the AAPI community. 在最近的一个星期天, a man assaulted seven Asian American women within a two-hour period in Manhattan. 上周, 在扬克斯, a woman was viciously beaten as she entered her apartment building (she was reported in stable condition, 和 her attacker was in custody by the time this was reported in the 纽约时报). Tragically, there have been other New York attacks in recent months that have resulted in death.
It 继续s to be an unfortunate reality that along with everything else that is happening around the globe, America 继续s to be tainted by this wave of targeted racism. 就像我之前说的, “isms” 和 “phobias” of all types – sexism, 反犹主义, 伊斯兰恐惧症, 对老年人的歧视, 异性恋主义/恐同症, 残疾歧视, 等. – not only cultivate an unlevel playing field for both personal 和 professional success but are horrible agents of great harm. 它们经常导致暴力. 然而，在美国和其他地方, it is one “ism” – racism – that is perhaps the most pervasive 和 dangerous form of hatred.
As we 继续 to process 和 work in solidarity against the long series of violent crimes against Black Americans, 这是悲伤, undeniable truth that racial hatred is an endemic problem here in the United States among a sizable group of people. It is my ongoing hope that none of us in the MSM Community will sit idly by in the face of these realities, but that we will 继续 to choose action 和 show our solidarity with those under attack. Actions like writing your elected officials, taking time to educate yourself on the history of these racial issues, calling to check on your friends who might be feeling fearful during this time of rising hatreds, 和/or speaking out against racism whenever 和 wherever you see it are important. Even sharing a smile or a kind word can contribute to making a difference, however small.
The MSM Community includes students from nearly all 50 states as well as US territories, 并显著, 50多个国家. Our domestic 和 international diversity makes us strong 和 helps prepare our students to be responsible 和 engaged global citizens, 和 to forge a place on the world stage, 字面上也许, 但也有比喻意义. MSM的使命是这样表达的, calling upon the institution to prepare our students “to be…effective contributors to the arts 和 society.” Let us 继续 to live this motto to the fullest.
Should you need help with resources or questions during these difficult times, I invite you to email Chief of 工作人员 和 Assistant Vice President for Special Initiatives Alexa Smith (asmith@district4promotions.com), who leads our Cultural Inclusion Initiative, which was created to help our Community courageously 和 actively lean into challenges around diversity, 股本, 和包容(DEI). And, of course, please feel free to email me directly as well. Also, in spring 2020, we created an MSM Community portal called “你在男同性恋者中有发言权,” which is for use by students, faculty, staff, 和 alumni. The portal provides a safe place for each of you in our extended MSM family to offer concerns, 不满, 信息, 事件报告, 和 suggestions to 火博体育. This 信息 will assist us in our effort to respond efficiently as needed 和, 更一般的, to 继续 to improve not just communication 和 education on these issues, but to take practical steps to improve our collective culture here at MSM.
真诚地,
