Dear Friends,
The shooting deaths of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta was a horrific act of violence, and just the most recent of a growing wave of AAPI hate and discrimination in the United States. The 21 year old Atlanta shooter was once a student in our K-12 schools. Since the start of COVID-19, there has been a 1,900% rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans, 3,800+ cases of AAPI hate crimes reported, and with a tremendous increase of hate crimes in K-20 schools. Asian Americans represent the smallest demographic group back at schools for in-person instruction, with many reporting fear to return back to school.
As educators, we need to work collectively and with intention to interrupt anti-Asian racism and discrimination in our schools and community.
As an early childhood higher education collaborative, we stand firm and promise to use our knowledge, skills and voices to build anti-racist institutions, in the memory of so many lives lost.
We commit to:
(1) creating a space for our students to explore the impact of institutionalized racism on child development and early education;
(2) educating our students to challenge inequitable policies and practices in the workplace and in society; and
(3) empowering our students with the knowledge and skills needed to advocate for complete and equitable access to high-quality early care, education, and related resources for all children and families.
Click here to access curated resources for faculty.
