From the President: In Solidarity With Our API Community
March 22, 2021
The following is from an email communication sent from the office of LTCC's Superintendent/President
to all LTCC faculty and staff on Friday, March 19. Read LTCC's Board of Trustees' statement on Condemning the Recent Surge in Hate Crimes Targeting Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) and API-Americans, and
Denouncing Xenophobia and Anti-API Sentiment (PDF)
Colleagues,
Unequivocally, LTCC stands in solidarity with our Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities and we condemn the violent acts that occurred in Atlanta. These murders targeting Asian-owned businesses and women of Asian descent were not isolated incidents, but are part of an escalation in xenophobia and bigotry against the API community. Acts of racism and racial violence have increased following racist comments by national leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 31% of API individuals report having been subject to discrimination since the beginning of the pandemic. Stop AAPI Hate, an API hate incident reporting system launched at the beginning of COVID-19, has reported more than 2,800 incidents of hate directed at API individuals nationwide.
LTCC is committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural institution. We have taken a number of actions to this end; on June 9, 2020, LTCC’s Board of Trustees committed to challenging and changing systems that do not serve the campus community equitably, to improve recruitment and retention of diverse staff and faculty, and to ensure all aspects of instruction reflect a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism. On November 10, 2020, the Board codified a goal “to serve as a leader in addressing issues of race and equity on campus and in the Lake Tahoe community." On January 26, 2021, the Board was informed of the creation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force to advance institutional goals. On March 9, 2021, the Board approved a new Board Policy 7100 - Commitment to Diversity as a commitment to cultivating an equity-minded and anti-racist college environment and recognizes that diversity enriches educational experiences for students and benefits the broader community.
On Tuesday, March 23, the Board will consider the attached Resolution Number 5 – 2020-21, to condemn the surge in hate crimes against API communities and denounce xenophobia and anti-API sentiment. This resolution commits LTCC to ensuring that all students, faculty and staff feel safe and welcome, both during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The resolution also supports the expansion and improvement of LTCC's incident reporting system and bystander intervention training to support API communities, and the expansion of Annual Goals to identify additional strategies and outcomes that support and protect API community members.
To the LTCC API community, please know that the Board, the Senior Leadership Team and I stand with you. If there is anything we can do to better support you during this time, beyond the activities outlined in the Resolution, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, my team, or to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force.