The Elm

The University of Maryland, Baltimore is united in solidarity against hate and violence with Asian American communities in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, Calif.

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The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is united in solidarity against hate and violence with Asian American communities in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, Calif., both suffering after mass shootings around the recent Lunar New Year weekend. At a time dedicated to celebration of family and community for Asian Americans, these shootings recall the significant increase in anti-Asian violence since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has negatively impacted Asian Americans’ feelings of safety and well-being. UMB, as a health and human services university, plays a significant role in creating safe and inclusive environments in the moments when people are at their most vulnerable. We embrace our human imperative to care for all of our community, particularly in times of pain and crisis. Please utilize the Student Counseling Center and the Employee Assistance Program for support.

These recent events, and the mid-January stabbing of an Indian University student who was targeted because of her Asian heritage, are inextricable from the more than 11,000 hate incidents reported against Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans between March 2020 and March 2022 (Stop AAPI Hate). These incidents reinforce our commitment to increasing belonging, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at UMB, throughout Baltimore, the state of Maryland, and the world.

The data shows that anti-Asian bias can be reduced through systemic measures including education about the histories of anti-Asian stereotypes, better incident reporting systems (with multilingual options and culturally informed staff), and other initiatives to address the deliberate construction of Asian Americans as the “yellow peril” over hundreds of years of imperialism, colonialism, and capitalism. As an educational institution, we at UMB continue to provide and develop resources to address these social constructions that lead to so many significant impacts. As members of the UMB community, we pledge to be present for each other, to see each other’s pain, to understand its roots, and to do what we can and must to heal the wounds that cause it. With all of our neighbors in Baltimore, we encourage and create pathways for communication and connection while working for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

In Solidarity,

Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA

Vice President and Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer

Professor, Graduate School

 

Wei Ming (慧明) Dariotis

Assistant Vice President

Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

UMB

 

Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, AGAF

Associate Dean for Admissions 

Associate Dean for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion                     

Associate Professor of Medicine

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology    

University of Maryland School of Medicine

 

Shani Fleming, MSHS, MPH, PA-C

Associate Professor                  

Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer              

University of Maryland Graduate School

 

Kristin Powell Reavis, MD, MBS 

Assistant Professor of Family Medicine 

Assistant Dean for Student Diversity and Inclusion 

Residency Program Director 

Director of Maternal Child Health 

Department of Family and Community Medicine 

University of Maryland School of Medicine 

 

Eleanor Fleming, PhD, DDS, MPH

Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 

Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Dental Public Health

University of Maryland School of Dentistry

 

Chanel F. Whittaker, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP

Associate Professor

Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 

University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

 

Nicole K. Palmore, MSW

Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Administration and Finance

UMB

 

Russell McClain, JD

Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

 

Courtney Jones Carney, PhD, MBA

Executive Director, Intercultural Leadership and Engagement

UMB

 

UMB Resources

OAC Reporting tool: Report a Concern - Accountability and Compliance (umaryland.edu)

Past Podcasts

The Intercultural Center’s two-part series in 2021, "Anti-Asian Racism is Not New," with Crystal Han, MD, and Angeline Pham, MD, psychiatry residents at UMB and facilitators of the Crazy Stressed Asians group. Part 1: the history of anti-Asian racism in the United States and building solidarity movements across racial and ethnic groups. Part 2: racial trauma and mental health for Asians and Asian Americans, and people of color more broadly.

Intercultural Center - Intercultural Leadership and Engagement (umaryland.edu)

Student Affinity Groups

Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA), an organization that represents the voices of the Chinese community within the University with a goal to build a strong sense of community in a home-away-from-home for Chinese students on campus.

Indian Association, an organization that focuses on Indian-identifying students, providing space on campus that builds community.

Asian Pacific American Law Student Association | Maryland Carey Law (umaryland.edu).

Baltimore or Maryland Resources

NAAP Baltimore, About (naaap.org)

Asian and AAPI Community Resources - AIGA Baltimore

The Maryland Office of the Attorney General Hate Crimes Hotline: 1-866-481-8361, Fighting Hate Crimes: A Resource Guide

References

Lo, R.F., Padgett, J.K., Cila, J., Sasaki, J.Y., and Lalonde, R.N. (2022). The reemergence of Yellow Peril: Beliefs in the Asian health hazard stereotype predict lower psychological well-being. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 13(4), 339–350. https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000291

Lowe, L. (2015). The Intimacies of Four Continents. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv11cw8zh

Shwe, E. (2021). “Hogan Announces Initiatives to Combat Rising Anti-Asian Hate Crimes,” https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/11/15/hogan-announces-initiatives-to-combat-rising-anti-asian-hate-crimes/

https://stopaapihate.org/

Wu, W.F. (2022). The Yellow Peril: Chinese Americans in American Fiction, 1850 to 1940. Boruma Publishing.

 

Disclaimer: Elm Voices & Opinions articles reflect the thoughts or opinions of their individual authors, and may not represent the thoughts or values of UMB as an institution.