On February 8, 2022, the UCLA Asian American Studies Center received a vile and hate-filled flier with language disparaging Asian Americans. It also contained despicable language demeaning Black and LGBTQIA communities while parading white supremacy. With the support of the UCLA community, we strongly condemn such acts of hate that have become an epidemic of their own.

 

We know that knowledge is power and education is a vital means to heal wounds of history. Education that weaves the full kaleidoscope of threads into a single cloth can allow us to see where we are frayed, where we are one, and how we can begin to mend the tears that divide us. For if we lack historical empathy, it will be impossible to end the violence and hate or overcome the culture wars we now find ourselves in.

 

Ethnic Studies was forged to bring truth to history -- to dismantle racist tropes, tell our stories, and lay an educational foundation for greater democracy and social justice so that hate will no longer have a place in our society.

 

Universities, including UCLA, must give greater support to Ethnic Studies as we redouble our efforts to educate the country about our shared and varied pasts, our rich cultures, and our lived experiences today. Armed with honest histories and critical perspectives, we can counter the waves of racist attacks we now see across the country and transform enduring systems in which hate and inequality are embedded.

 

We hope you will join us in our efforts. We are heartened by those who stand in solidarity with us as we receive warm messages from all corners of the campus and from within our communities. Let's continue to support one another today and every day. We know that by standing together we can build a better future for us all.