Message from the Dean - March 18, 2021
Dear Madison community members,
The past year has witnessed ongoing violence towards and harassment of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community in the United States. The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate Reporting Center has tracked over 3800 anti-Asian incidents since March 2020 (New York Times, 3/17/21). On March 16, there was the gruesome incident in Atlanta, Georgia where eight lives were taken. We send our deepest sympathies and stand in solidarity with all those impacted, including our APIDA community members who are suffering the rise of anti-Asian hate and violence.
These incidents remind us all why it is important to continue to educate ourselves and take action to end discrimination and hatred against marginalized populations. As a JMC student, your education in public and international affairs should serve to prepare you to work for social equity and justice. You can continue your learning about the APIDA community at MSU by taking courses or enrolling in the minor offered by the Asian Pacific American Studies Program. Students are invited to MSU’s Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions (OCAT) Virtual Office Hours (Monday – Friday) from 1:00-3:00 PM (ZOOM ID: ocatmsu, Passcode: ocat). Faculty and staff are invited to attend OCAT’s upcoming Green Table featuring APIDA student voices on Friday, March 26, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (ZOOM ID: ocatmsu, Passcode: ocat).
Beyond the classroom, you can be an anti-racism activist or an active bystander, and you can report bias, discrimination and racist incidents to MSU’s Office for Institutional Equity here. You can also report hate crimes towards the APIDA community here.
While these acts cause great harm, it is important we also honor and acknowledge the contributions of the APIDA community. From mid-March to mid-April, MSU will be celebrating APIDA Heritage Month. There are several educational opportunities and events being hosted throughout this month and you can find more information about them here.
You may find the following health, safety, and well-being resources helpful:
Mental Health Resources for the APIDA community:
- APIDA Listening Circle facilitated by CAPS (flyer here).
- Asian Mental Health Collective
- National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
Other Mental Health Resources for faculty, students, and staff:
- MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS)
- MSU Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- SAMHSA National Hotline – 800.662.HELP
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
Interim Dean Linda Racioppi