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Letter from the Editors

It’s been a year since our lives were disrupted by COVID-19. In this year of grieving, suffering, and pain, we want to acknowledge the lives of each person lost. We want to touch upon the discrimination and acts of hate against Asian Americans and Asian communities.

The hate crimes against the Asian communities and their elders is just another sign in history of the racism and xenophobia against Asian people in the United States. Most people, specifically white communities, believe that Asians are the “best” minority group in this country. But this perspective, also known as the model minority myth, is harmful — it devalues the experiences of Asian communities and further disenfranchises Black and Brown people.

The model minority myth currently plays a role in the lack of media and societal attention towards the recent anti-Asian hate crimes. White communities assume that Asian people do not suffer the effects of racism and xenophobia because of outdated stereotypes and income statistics.

The former president of the U.S. normalized making outwardly anti-Asian sentiments and language by calling the virus “Wuhan virus,” “Kung Flu” and the “China virus,” as referenced in staff writer Alexa Maddi’s article “How the increase of hate crimes against Asian Americans is affecting the Asian community” [pg. 14]. This language encouraged violence against the Asian community and has caused widespread fear for Asian lives in this country.

We wanted to dedicate March’s issue to the Asian community and their voices. We stand in solidarity with Asian communities across the world, our Asian readers, and our Asian co-workers.

This fight is not yours alone; liberation without everyone is not liberation at all.

Until next time,

Mel & Eryn