Rallying Against Anti-Asian Racism
De Anza College representatives took a stand against anti-Asian racism during a rally in Saratoga on March 27, joining a host of area residents and community leaders in condemning discrimination and hate crimes.
Foothill-De Anza Chancellor Judy Miner speaking at the rally against anti-Asian racism in Saratoga on Saturday, March 27
Trustee Pearl Cheng, De Anza Student Trustee Max Meyberg, Trustee Peter Landsberger and Academic Senate President Karen Chow
Assemblymember Evan Low, D-Cupertino, addresses the crowd that gathered for the rally against racism
West Valley Community Services Executive Director Josh Selo and Foothill-De Anza district Trustee Patrick Ahrens
Chow with Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Elvin Ramos and Articulation Specialist Tracy Chung-Tabangcura
Meyberg, Vice President of Instruction Christina Espinosa-Pieb, Ramos, Chow and Chung-Tabangcura
Academic Senate President Karen Chow, Vice President of Instruction Christina Espinosa-Pieb and other college leaders attended, along with Foothill-De Anza district trustees Patrick Ahrens, Pearl Cheng, Peter Landsberger and Gilbert Wong, and De Anza student trustee Max Meyberg.
Speakers included district Chancellor Judy Miner and several local elected officials.
“We must stand in solidarity,” Assemblymember Evan Low, D-Cupertino, told those at the rally. “We have righteous, righteous anger. We have righteous pain. But let us channel this energy into collaborative action.”
Attending the event was an empowering experience, said Chow, who carried a sign that declared, “De Anza College Stands With Our AAPI
Community.”
The rally was one of several held across the Bay Area on Saturday, in response to a recent wave of anti-Asian violence and hate crimes. From March 2020 to February 2021, the group Stop AAPI Hate received reports of 3,795 hate incidents throughout the country, including 1,691 in California and 142 in Santa Clara County, according to the Mercury News.
De Anza President Lloyd A. Holmes has called for the college community to take action against racism by condemning those incidents and reaffirming De Anza’s longstanding commitment to equity. In addition:
- Short videos exploring anti-Asian racism and scapegoating are part of the CAN/DID multimedia series produced by the Office of Communications, which can be viewed at deanza.edu/candid.
- A panel discussion on the history of anti-Asian racism in the U.S. will be held from 4-5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6. Information about this collegewide event can be found on the Office of Equity, Social Justice and Multicultural Education webpage. Co-sponsors include the Asian American and Asian Studies Department and the Asian Pacific American Staff Association.
- More resources can be found on the college’s Standing Against Racism webpage and the Asian American and Asian Studies Department’s webpage for Addressing Anti-Asian Scapegoating.
(Article posted on March 29, 2021)
Update: De Anza representatives also joined a rally at Cupertino City Hall on April 10.