ALT Screenshot of this text: Statement of Solidarity with AAPI Communities DEI Committee, University of Chicago Human Genetics Department DEI Committee, University of Chicago Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology Program Our community is devastated by the recent shootings in the Atlanta area. We mourn alongside the loved ones of all the victims. We recognize that the victims of the shooting are disproportionately women of Asian heritage, and that the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are particularly hurt by this violence. These events are one heartbreaking manifestation of the recent surge in violent racism against members of AAPI communities in the United States. These incidents have not arisen out of nowhere; rather, we have witnessed a rise in anti-AAPI sentiment since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the prevalence, throughout United States history, of anti-AAPI rhetoric, stereotyping, legalized discrimination, violence, annexation, and internment.

ALT Screenshot of this text: The Human Genetics and GGSB Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees wholly condemn these events and stand in support of our community members of Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander background who are in pain. Too often, AAPI communities are treated as invisible or as a “model minority,” and issues facing these communities are ignored. We value our community members of AAPI heritage and stand with them. We take this moment to reaffirm our commitment to uplifting all members of our community and the communities around us. Acknowledging and supporting our AAPI community members only strengthens our support of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled, and female and non-binary community members, including people whose identities intersect across these communities. These recent attacks are a reminder of the broad scope of racism and how anti-racism efforts provide us with a framework to address issues affecting all racial and ethnic groups.