March 2021

Dear GCC Community,

As some of the leaders of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Racial Justice (DEI/RJ) initiatives and groups on campus, we want you to know that GCC has been working hard to understand and mitigate the damage caused by systemic racism. In the aftermath of the murders in Atlanta, and with the growing visibility and awareness of the rise in anti-Asian bias and violence in the US, we are reminded, yet again, that there is much work to do to address the bias and hate that hurts and destroys.

Dehumanizing and racist language and violence against people of Asian descent are longstanding and historically invisible problems. Anti-Asian sentiment, which has become more visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, is not new; it reveals what has long been a reality for people of Asian descent in the US. We also cannot ignore that these most recent horrors in Atlanta make visible intersectional violent motivations based on race, class, and gender. The misogynistic and racist coverage of these crimes also illustrates and promotes narratives of white supremacy, misogyny, and victim-blaming.

If you have not been exposed to education on this, there are many resources, including this recent overview from the Washington Post, that can place these events in historical context. As folks are increasingly aware of the rise in anti-Asian bias and violence, we also want to share some Massachusetts organizations that can welcome your involvement:

• The Asian American Commission | Learn About Our Mission & Get Involved
  • “The Asian American Commission is composed of 21 Commissioners appointed by the Governor, Senate President, Treasurer, Secretary of State, House Speaker, Attorney General, and Auditor. Learn more about our Staff and Commissioners.”
  • Donate here
• Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association: CMAA Lowell
  • “Our mission is to improve the quality of life for Cambodian Americans and other minorities and economically disadvantaged persons in Lowell through educational, cultural, economic and social programs.”
  • Donate here 
• Asian Community Development Corporation (Boston)
  • “We build affordable homes, empower families and strengthen communities.”
  • Donate here

It is important to make space for grieving as we stay vigilant in our commitment to addressing inequities. President Yves Salomon-Fernandez has invited the community to come together on Monday, March 22 at 12p.m. Please also note the many groups on campus that are explicitly engaged in anti-bias and anti-racist work, among them the following: The Diversity Standing Committee, the REJI: Leading for Change Team at GCC, the Equity Talk to Equity Walk book group, the Working Group on Racial Justice, and the Inclusion and Diversity Center. Please reach out to any of these groups if you would like to be involved. We must actively keep all BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) folks—including folks of Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent—at the forefront of our minds when we make decisions about every single aspect of the college, from facilities to curriculum.

Sincerely,

Christine Jones Monahan, Co-Chair of the Diversity Standing Committee and Co-Chair of Racial Justice and Equity (REJI) at GCC
Alyssa Arnell, Co-Chair of the Diversity Standing Committee
Linda McCarthy, Co-Chair of Racial Justice and Equity (REJI) at GCC
Cindy Snow, Coordinator of Working Group on Racial Justice