We at the UNBSU are heartbroken by the recent displays of violence against Asian women and the increase of anti-Asian racism in the past year. We stand in grief and solidarity with our Asian students and communities against racial violence.
The UNBSU is committed to combating systemic racism and supporting students of visible minorities. Some of the immediate actions we are taking to address the rise of anti-Asian racism include:
Offering safe spaces for Asian students to meet with us to voice their concerns and to discuss the changes they want to see implemented within the SU and our ratified clubs and societies.
Supporting upcoming projects led by Asian students, focused on raising awareness about anti-Asian racism & student experiences.
Working on a Breaking Stereotypes video about microaggressions.
Adding components to our upcoming Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, such as anti-racism training, programming celebrating Asian students, and fostering safe spaces for visible minority communities to gather.
On March 16th in Acworth, Georgia, 8 people were shot and killed by a white gunman, 6 of the victims were Asian, and all but one were women. This hate crime occurred under the trauma of increasing violence against Asians in the past year.
Their Names:
Xiaojie Tan
Daoyou Feng
Soon Chung Park
Hyun Jung Grant
Yong Ae Yue
Suncha Kim
Delaina Yaun
Paul Andre Michels
The Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice has collected reports of the occurrence of 961 anti-Asian racist incidents in Canada during COVID-19, though there are likely many more unreported. The number of individuals from visible minorities who have reported experiencing an increase in harassment/attacks based on their race, ethnicity, or skin colour, since the start of the pandemic, has tripled. The largest increases were for Chinese, Korean, and Southeast Asian individuals.
To our Asian students, we recognize that this can be an incredibly difficult and emotionally challenging time for you. We are committed to listening and supporting you, we stand with you.
For immediate support, check out:
For more about Asian mental health, check out:
For support dealing with Racial Trauma & Recovery, check out:
https://graduateway.com/blog/racial-trauma-toolkit/
If you’re an International Student, looking for advising, advocacy, or help with community integration, check out:
https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/studentservices/international/
If you’re an ally looking to support/learn more, check out:
https://www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/
If you have any questions or feedback for the UNBSU, please contact: