AAH Department and FAM statement against Anti-Asian racism

    March 19, 2021 

    Dear Students, 

    The misogynistic and racially-motivated hate crime in Atlanta that took the lives of Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Paul Andre Michels, Soon C. Park, Hyun J. Grant, Suncha Kim, and Yong A. Yue on Tuesday is reverberating through communities around the world. The trauma is especially acute for those who identify as Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) as it threatens their safety and humanity. It is amplified even more for those who are AAPI women and non-binary folks. 

    We, the staff and faculty of the Flaten Art Museum and Art and Art History department, condemn the rise in Anti-Asian violence across the U.S. While it has risen sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic, it stems from a long history of Anti-Asian racism in the U.S. We call on the St. Olaf visual arts community to recommit to resisting racism in all its forms. 

    Students, especially our AAPI students, we send out our care and concern for your well-being. Take time to rest and process, and be in communication with the professors and supervisors about your wellness needs. We are all committed to an atmosphere of care in the days ahead. If you need support, please reach out. Below are some resources: 

    Several of us attended last night’s teach-in on Anti-Asian violence, hosted by our colleagues of Asian descent in RACE. We encourage all of you, regardless of your racial identity, to learn about the legacies of Anti-Asian violence, to show solidarity with our Asian and Asian American community members across campus, and to harness creativity for healing and resistance.

    In solidarity, 

    The Department of Art and Art History and Flaten Art Museum