A Message to Our Campus Community

Dear Grinnellians,

Many of us are learning with horror about the murders of eight people in Atlanta last night. We are told that at least six of the victims are women of Asian descent and some have been identified as being of Korean descent.

While, it is too early to know what motivated this violence, we understand these murders come at a time when anti-Asian hate incidents are increasing around the world. Further, we recognize many of these incidents have been directed toward women; and we know that hate is deadly.

Our thoughts go out to the victims of this attack, their families, friends, and community; and to all who experience xenophobic bigotry and prejudice. In a time when so many are struggling to deal with the personal effects of the pandemic, it is especially wrenching that individuals of Asian ancestry have been senselessly targeted by some due to lies and misinformation concerning the origins of the COVID-19 virus. No one should live in fear of verbal or physical attack. As Grinnellians, we must condemn this evil through our words and actions. We will do this by affirming our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, by standing in solidarity with our Asian and Asian-American community members, and by denouncing hatred in all its forms and practices. We must engage in conversations about race, racism, and xenophobia, and carry on the work of dismantling these systems.

Beyond our individual support, as a campus community we are making concerted efforts to provide support to students, faculty, and staff who may be affected as we continue to learn more about this tragedy. Many resources are available to anyone needing support; these include counseling and safety resources. If you Need to Talk (emergency counseling support) you can call 641-269-4404 and reach a counselor all hours of the day and night. Additionally, you can access virtual counseling through HealthiestYou (College insurance) or Virtual Care (non-College insurance). If you are in Iowa, you may access our SHAW counselors by calling 641-269-3230. Please call 641-269-4600 to reach campus safety for on-call staff support. Dedicated staff colleagues at CRSSJ, Intercultural Affairs, and International Student Affairs are available regardless of location.

We have a much-needed and enduring commitment to our students and families, as well as to our work on campus and in our communities to support a multi-racial democracy. Thank you for connecting with one other today, and for your presence in the Grinnell community.

With care and resolve,

Anne and Schvalla

Anne F. Harris, President
Schvalla R. Rivera, Chief Diversity Officer, AVP of Diversity & Inclusion, and Senior Advisor to the President