There has been a long standing history of racism towards the AAPI Community, built upon the deep-seated roots of white supremacy. Likewise, the patriarchy has perpetuated harm and oppression towards countless people. The events in Georgia have taken the lives of 8 people, each valued with their own unique experiences and humanity. It is here we see the intersection of patriarchy and racism, applied to the fetishizing of a group, take its violent, heartbreaking toll.These murders come at a time when the AAPI community in the U.S. has faced increasing terror and violence over the last year.
We must all examine the ways that our own biases, assumptions, actions, and words (no matter how seemingly small) precipitate into the larger historical, structural, and cultural reinforcement of such harmful forces.
Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has a responsibility as an organization to stand in solidarity with our family members in the AAPI community, while at the same time growing the depth of our own understanding, empathy, and support. We not only occupy spaces with organizations representing the vast, diverse people who make up the AAPI community, but also have members of our own who identify with the community.
We challenge all of our members to commit to actively dismantling the roots of patriarchy and racism in an act of our collective humanity, for as Maya Angelou once said, ” The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free.”
For those interested in learning how they can join the effort to support our family members in the AAPI Community, here are a few organizations doing great work: