February 2021

Mason’s Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment (CCEE) CCEE is acknowledging the recent attacks against Asian elders and those in the Asian community. We stand in solidarity with all APIDA members of the Mason family. On January 28, in San Francisco, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee was knocked to the ground and killed while walking in his neighborhood. There have been over 20 attacks in Oakland’s Chinatown in the past two weeks that the local Chamber of Commerce considered to be targeted against Asians. On January 31, an assailant violently knocked a 91 year old man to the ground and later attacked an older man and woman. On February 3, in New York City, Noel Quintana, 61, was slashed across the face, and on the same day in Oakland, a 71 year-old grandmother was knocked to the ground while crossing the street and robbed. (HRW) There has been a significant uptick in violence against Asian Americans since Covid-19 entered the United States in late 2019; invoking harmful rhetoric from former Presidential leadership surrounding the virus’ origin. We stand in solidarity with our Asian American students in the Mason community and strongly condemn these acts of violence. We pray that justice is served for the victims and their families.

What we can do:

Continue to learn & amplify issues about all forms of violence against Asians and Asian American communities.
Check-in with elders in your community; ask them what they need.
Hold each other accountable.
Work to end white supremacy, anti-Blackness, xenophobia, poverty, police violence and the violence within and against our communities.
Support, volunteer with, and learn from community-based groups who are organizing on the ground around the needs of elders & community safety.
Continue to build cross-racial solidarity.

Social media is uncovering several overarching societal themes attached to the violent incidents, including an influx of anti-black rhetoric and the nuance and complexities within the model minority myth. To learn more visit stopaapihate.org.

If you would like to process thoughts about these incidents, please email Brandi Blake at bblake5@gmu.edu . If there is interest, we will host a processing space.

CCEE is celebrating Black and African Heritage Month with numerous events all throughout the month of February!

During the summer of 2020 and presently, we have received an outpouring of support and programmatic ideas that centered Black and African Diasporic Student Communities due to the racial unrest that swept the nation. This February, folks have created programming that centers and uplifts the wellbeing of Black life on our campus. These programs highlight storytelling, heritage, allyship, reflection, activism, appreciation, history, advocacy, resilience or strength.

This year’s theme, “Sankofa,” is a metaphorical symbol of a bird with its head turned backwards which originated by the Akan people of Ghana. The word is derived from the words: SAN (return), KO (go), and FA (look, seek, and take). The Akan believe that the past serves as our guide for the future and that there is wisdom in learning from the past to ensure a strong future. As we enter a space of healing, restoration, and a search for peace after 2020, it is imperative that we, as a community, use the metaphorical symbol of Sankofa to learn from our past and embrace our history to better shape our future for our current communities and for generations to come.

Check out all of the events happening around campus below.

Please note that the calendar will be updated frequently, so be sure to check back for any changes or updates!