Dear Medical Students and Medical Education Colleagues,
We are horrified by the alarming increase in assaults against the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community in the Bay Area and around the nation. It is clear by the nature and location of the crimes and speech that precede the crimes that they reflect discrimination and prejudice against people because of their Asian heritage. The attacks and disrespect shown to vulnerable elders in the past six weeks have been particularly gut-wrenching, in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year, a time when the Asian community celebrates and honors family.
Our APAMSA students recommended that in honor of the Lunar new year, a time of restoration and celebration in the Asian American Pacific Islander community, we wait to acknowledge these events until after the holiday but we want to make sure that you aware of some of the assaults that have happened close to home. On January 28th, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, a Thai American, was murdered while on his routine morning walk in the Anza Vista neighborhood of San Francisco. On February 3rd, a 64-year old Vietnamese grandmother was assaulted and robbed in San Jose in broad daylight. The next day, a 91-year-old man was attacked—violently pushed to the ground—in Oakland’s Chinatown. We denounce these and all acts of violence against our community.
Let us be clear -- as a community, our School stands with our Asian communities and against those who seek to injure, kill or sow fear in the communities that have so enriched our city, state, and nation. We also must work to combat speech that marginalizes, blames, stereotypes, or otherwise diminishes the humanity of all of our communities.
As we have with other incidents of sociopolitical and racial trauma, we understand that it may still be difficult for students to concentrate and heal during this time. Therefore, effective February 18-26 we are offering the following guidance for curricular activities.
