Build Community and Support Asian-Americans

I’m writing with an urgent and important message to Family Engagement Lab’s partners regarding the rise in hate crimes targeting Asian-Americans. The murders of eight people in Atlanta, including six Asian women, punctuates the sharp increase in violent attacks across the country. Asian-Americans across the country are living with a daily fear for our loved ones and for ourselves.

Asian-American families are OUR families, Asian-American children are OUR students, and Asian-American educators are OUR teachers. One out of 10 FASTalk students identify as Asian, and Chinese is the third most commonly spoken language by our parents, after English and Spanish. Anti-Asian racism is affecting all of us profoundly. 

Many of you have spoken with me about wanting to build stronger and supportive relationships with Asian-American families in your communities. I’m grateful for that because complicity is not an option. A recent youth-led study revealed a quarter of Asian-American young adults have been the targets of racism in the past year. In nearly half of cases an adult was present, but only seldom intervened.

Whether there are five Asian-American families in your community or 50,000, there is no more important time than the present to act when the safety and sense of belonging of anyone in our communities is threatened. 

As we approach Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, it is an opportune time to take action in support of our Asian-American community members. Below is a list of resources for your schools and educators to build strength in your school communities to foster safety and belonging for Asian-American students, families, and colleagues during these challenging times. 

Please join us in building safe, supportive, and inclusive communities for Asian-Americans. 

Sincerely,
Vidya Sundaram
Co-founder and CEO

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Information about Anti-Asian Racism

• Anti-Asian Racism Has Parents Fearing for Their Safety (Parents, March 19, 2021)
• What This Wave of Anti-Asian Violence Reveals About America (New York Times, February 21, 2021)
• 'You have Chinese virus!': 1 in 4 Asian American youths experience racist bullying, report says (NBC News, September 17, 2020)

Taking Action

• Why Are Asian Americans Being Attacked and What Can You Do About It? (Greater Good Magazine, March 18, 2021)
• Bystander Intervention Training and Resources (Hollaback!)
• How to stop the dangerous rise in hatred targeted at Asian Americans (USA Today, March 30, 2021)

Supporting Asian-American Colleagues

• Anti-Asian Racism: Manager Resource Guide

Information for Classroom Educators

• Educator Resources (Travell Educators)
• Humanizing Asian-Americans in the Classroom Through Children’s Literature (Learning for Justice)

Tips for Talking with Children

• How to talk to your kids about Scary Events (Dancing Panda)

About the Author

Vidya Sundaram is co-Founder and CEO of Family Engagement Lab. She previously led research and insights at GreatSchools, championing a test and learn culture across the organization. Over her nearly 20-year career in family engagement, she has managed development, research, and strategy for digital resources used by more than half of US families with school-aged children. ​

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