Statement of Support - APIA Community
As a society, we have seen a disturbing rise nationally in anti-Asian hate crimes and violence. This has brought understandable increased fear and pain to members of our own Asian & Pacific Islander American community, heightened this week by the tragic killings in Atlanta where six of eight victims were of Asian descent.
Racism, xenophobia, othering or us-versus-them thinking are in direct opposition to William & Mary’s vision, mission and values. William & Mary holds steadfast to our values of belonging and respect, and we stand together with our APIA students, faculty, staff and alumni to condemn these intolerable acts.
If you experience or witness incidents of hate, we encourage you to report them to the Compliance & Equity Office at reportconcern@wm.edu or via the university’s online Report It portal. If you or a friend is in need of support, please reach out. Additional campus resources include the Counseling Center, the Dean of Students Office, Human Resources, the Ombuds Office, the Reves Center and William & Mary Police.
In this moment, it is important that we as leaders reaffirm our shared values. All of us must continue to do all that we can -- collectively and individually -- to stand against hate and discrimination and ensure a welcoming community that embraces diverse people, beliefs and perspectives, and treats its members with mutual respect both here and in our broader communities.
Katherine A. Rowe, PresidentPeggy Agouris, Provost
