Letter from Head of School Monique DeVane to the community on March 17, 2021.

 

The murders of eight people in Atlanta yesterday—the majority of whom were Asian American and women—speaks to the long history of anti-Asian bias, misogyny, and domestic terrorism in our country. Incidents such as these are not random or isolated. The onset of COVID-19 has escalated unprovoked attacks against Asian Americans that have caused deaths, serious injury, and rampant fear—here in Oakland, the Bay Area, and across our country. Such hatred and violence are antithetical to our core values and are simply unacceptable. 

 

To those in our community who are hurting, we are here for you. My heart is especially heavy for our students, who need and deserve a sense of safety and support. The student club leaders and advisors of our Asian American Association, Chinese Culture Club, Korean Club, and South Asian Alliance are joining me tomorrow to be together and to discuss additional support that might be helpful at this moment. These groups will also be gathering in affinity spaces next week. Students who are in need of support for any reason should reach out to our school counselor, Sara Lipton-Carey.

 

As an additional resource for our parent/guardian community, the Parents’ Association Equity and Inclusion Committee (PAEIC) is hosting current parent Dr. Russell Jeung on Tuesday, April 13, 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Dr. Jeung will speak on Stopping Anti-Asian Hate During COVID-19. In March 2020, Dr. Jeung co-founded Stop AAPI Hate with Chinese for Affirmative Action and the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council. Parents/guardians, please check PrepWeekly for details.

 

Violence that impacts any of us, impacts us all. The call to eradicate hate that targets Asian Americans is part of a broader call to address racism, xenophobia, and violence in all of its forms. We unite around this call. 

 

Sincerely, 

Monique DeVane

Head of School