Dean's Messages Archive

On behalf of the College of Arts and Architecture, I mourn for the eight victims of the murders in Atlanta, Georgia, last week and extend my heartfelt sympathy to their family and friends. While details of these murders are still being assembled, it appears the majority of the victims were Asian American women. Over the past year, during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of vicious acts of hate and racialized domestic terroristic violence against Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other members of the Asian Diaspora have increased across the country.

Mortal acts of violence, and the bigoted discourse that surrounds them, are reminders of the centrality of racism, hate, and xenophobia in the historical narrative of the United States. Acts of violence and hate based in race, identity, ethnicity, and nationality are intolerable.

I have written more of these statements in the past year than I had imagined I would need to write, yet I am compelled to do so once again. Hate and violence in any form, and particularly when motivated to diminish others based on their race, gender, ability, ethnicity, nationality, or sexual identity, is never acceptable.

I trust the students, staff, and faculty from the Asian and Pacific Island Diaspora know you have the support you need in the wake of the violence last week. Students in the College who seek support may reach out to Curt Marshall, coordinator of multicultural and recruitment programs. Similarly, any member of the College may contact me at aadean@psu.edu.