From Dr. Todd Fenton, Department Chair and Professor of Anthropology:
On behalf of the faculty, I am writing to express our collective shock and sorrow at the violent attack in Georgia this past week. We condemn the brutal murder of Daoyou Feng, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Soon Chung Park, Xiaojie Tan, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Paul Andre Michels; eight individuals whose lives were taken in an act of hate. Six of the victims were Asian American women, and we recognize that these murders happened in a larger context of xenophobia, misogyny, and racism that has deep roots in US history. Further, we recognize that these hateful crimes aimed at Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA) and Asian communities have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This horrifying act has redoubled our efforts, started last summer, to not only take a strong stand against hate, but also to create a more inclusive and tolerant culture within our own university community. As such, we stand in alliance with others within the MSU community asking for greater attention be given to the violence and harm that these communities have suffered, and to amplify the voices who are seeking substantive change.