March 25, 2021

OPEN LETTER CONDEMNING ANTI-ASIAN RACISM
To Presidents of Canadian Universities:

It is with profound sadness and pain that we witnessed the horrific killings of eight people in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16, 2021. Six of the victims were women of Asian descent, and this violence was clearly fueled by anti-Asian hate and misogyny. As professors of Chinese descent working in various educational and research institutions across Canada, we are shocked and outraged by the shootings.

We mourn alongside the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and we stand in solidarity with each and every one who has to face the threat of racist violence in everyday life.

This tragedy comes amid sharply escalating discrimination and violence against people of Asian descent. According to the Vancouver Police Department, anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 717 per cent from 2019 to 2020. The Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto) has documented over 1,000 reported incidents of anti-Asian racist attacks since the beginning of the pandemic. It is also vitally important to recognize the deep history of racism towards Asian communities. Historically, Asians in Canada were subjected to legislated state racism such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Japanese Canadian Internment, accompanied by widespread societal harassment and exclusion.

As members of the Canadian academic community, we are proud of the significant contributions made by scholars of Asian descent to Canada’s education and scientific and technological advancements. Yet the risk of Asians being blamed, suspected, and attacked simply because of their looks and ethnic origin has been mounting. We are deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of faculty, staff, and students of Asian heritage at universities and colleges and in Canadian society at large. Moreover, we are also concerned about the damage to the reputation and image of Canada as a safe and welcoming place in the world.

Silence is complicity! In this critical time when everyone in the world is fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, equity, support, and solidarity are crucial for all of us. We are resolved to stand up for victims of racism and hate. We urge our institutions and colleagues to join us in condemning and fighting anti- Asian racism.

Canadian Academy of Chinese Professors (CACP)

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加拿大华人教授组织发表公开信，谴责针对亚裔的种族主义（中文）                                                                                                    
2021年3月24日，共生传媒编辑部收到加拿大华人教授学会 Canadian Academy of Chinese Professors)、加拿大华人教授协会Canadian Association of Chinese Professors 致加拿大大学校长的公开信（中英文）。全文刊登如下：

各位尊敬的加拿大大学校长：

2021 年 3 月 16 日，在美国乔治亚州亚特兰大市八人惨遭枪杀，我们为此悲恸万分。其中六名受害者为亚裔女性，此暴力事件显然源起于对亚裔和女性的仇视。作为在加拿大各教育和研究机构工作的华裔教授，我们对此次枪击事件深感震惊和愤慨。我们与遇难者的家属和亲眷一道来沉痛悼念此暴力事件的遇难者，我们与每一位在日常生活中不得不面对种族主义暴力威胁的人们站在一起。

这场悲剧发生在对亚裔的歧视和暴力急剧升级之际。温哥华警察局的数据显示，从 2019 年到 2020 年，针对亚裔的仇恨犯罪增加了 717％。据加拿大华人全国委员会（多伦多） 统计，自新冠大流行开始以来，已有 1000 多起针对亚裔的种族主义袭击事件。我们应该意识到，针对亚裔社区的种族主义由来已久。纵观历史，加拿大亚裔曾遭遇过国家制度层面的种族主义，例如《排华法》和对日裔加拿大人的囚禁，以及其他各种社会层面的种族伤害和排斥。

作为加拿大学术界的成员，我们为亚裔学者对加拿大的教育和科技进步做出的卓越贡献而感到自豪。然而，亚裔因其外表和族裔而受到的指摘、怀疑和攻击的风险仍在升级。我们深切关注大专院校乃至整个加拿大社会的亚裔教职员工和学生的安全和福祉。同时，对于加拿大作为安全友善之邦的全球声誉和国际形象的损害，我们也深感忧虑。

沉默等同于同谋！在全世界都在与新冠大流行作斗争的关键时刻，平等、互助和团结对我们所有人都至关重要。我们坚定地支持遭受种族主义和仇恨犯罪的受害者们。我们督促各大高校和同仁与我们团结一致共同谴责和反对针对亚裔的种族主义。

2021 年 3 月 21 日