We are deeply saddened and shaken by the shootings in Atlanta on March 16, 2021, which claimed the lives of eight innocent people, including six women of Asian descent. Our hearts go out to the victims and we mourn with their loved ones. As the suspect’s motives are under investigation, it is abundantly clear that this tragedy is another incident of horrific violence against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

The Korean-American Educational Researchers Association (KAERA) condemns the rising anti-Asian violence and hate crimes in all forms that we bear witness to throughout the United States. Violence against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders has significantly increased since mid-March 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic (see relevant  data and reports). Racially motivated and misogynistic violence and crimes have especially targeted the vulnerable, including elders and women.

There is a long history of anti-Asian discrimination and violence in the United States during public health crises, including the 1876 outbreak of smallpox, the 1900 bubonic plague, the 1906 spread of leprosy, and the 2003 SARS epidemic (see a statement published by National Council for the Social Studies). The surge in anti-Asian violence and crimes during a disease outbreak reflects deeply rooted biases toward Asians and Asian Americans, who were once referred to and treated as the Yellow Peril.

As a professional organization committed to equity and justice for the education and wellbeing of all people regardless of their backgrounds and intersectional identities, KAERA will not tolerate any violence against any minoritized groups due to race, ethnicity, language, nationality, gender, sexuality, religion, class, age, or other socially constructed identity markers. We call for immediate action to end the xenophobic rhetoric, hate crimes, and violence against people, including children, students, and visitors, from the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities. We are deeply grateful to our colleagues and other professional organizations that have been standing with us during this difficult time. We invite all officials and residents of the United States to join us in forming an alliance to combat social bigotry and racial prejudice and work with us to protect the safety, dignity, and welfare of all.

KAERA Board of Directors