In order to best support the AAPI community here on campus, we asked some Andrews students the following question,“How do you think people can best support the AAPI community and be good allies during this time?” These are the responses:
Zachary Alignay (freshman, biochemistry)
Love, kindness, and open-mindedness.
Eden Seo (junior, theology)
Ever since I was a kid coming into the US as an immigrant from Korea, I realized that I did not belong. Other kids would make fun of my accent and the food I would bring to school. As I got older I realized that anti-Asian racism is more real and dangerous, especially since the pandemic. Seeing the recent news about my people getting attacked has made me upset and fearful of what could happen to my family and friends. I seek justice. I seek for us to speak out. I seek for change.
Andrew Pak (freshman, music)
I think people could eat food in fellowship and share their cultures with others.
Irina Gagiu (sophomore, psychology)
During a recent class assignment when we were asked to research a social justice activist of our choosing, I realized how limited my knowledge is of Asian leaders in politics, religion, social justice issues, etc. And I further realized that this is certainly not because there aren't any, but that they often aren't offered the same platforms as other figures due to the limitations of the racial/ethnic background. Thus, I would heavily encourage people to seek out the authentic voices of individuals struggling to make changes and call attention to Asian discrimination at this time. We should use our own voices to uplift those who deserve to be heard, and most importantly, respected.
Christopher Inae (sophomore, mechanical engineering)
I think spreading awareness is very important, in order to advocate for a common interest.
Luis Saw (senior, psychology)
I think coming together as a community and talking about what is happening around us is a good start. Like the meeting that AAPI students had with the community here at Andrews that brought awareness toward the current racism and violence faced by Asian and Black individuals. I think one of the best things we can do all together is to find our support system during this time. I know that we all come from different places, and sadly some of us will face some kind of adverse experience. But having trusted people or community to talk to if you ever face discrimination will help us a lot. Also, people have access to information on where to get help if needed. If someone might be afraid to disclose information because they are scared, having information on where to get support or help can go a long way. Lastly, I think that if someone is trying to tell you about a situation where they face racism, violence, or other discrimination, believing their words will let them know you believe them. I myself have been in a situation where I was discriminated against and I tried talking to a friend about it, but they took it lightly and tried to reframe the situation as me overthinking. So acknowledging our words can bring us toward more awareness, and not letting violence and discrimination be pushed into the background of society could even save people.
Sandrine Adap (freshman, computer science)
Be understanding. It’s not a matter of who’s more oppressed, but the fact that some ethnic groups are oppressed in general.
Joshua Pak (junior, biochemistry)
Signing petitions and donating to peoples’ GoFundMe’s.
If you would like to donate to the victims and their families from the Atlanta spa shooting, you can find the certified fundraisers on GoFundMe here. For other funds to donate to from Asian American individuals to community organizations, you can check here.
Originally published: (03/31/2021)
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.