English Department Stands in Solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

We write, in shared pain, about the ongoing voices of hate and acts of violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The murders in Atlanta are a stain on our nation and a reminder of the casual history of hate and the normalization of violence and slurs directed at the AAPI communities. From the history of yellowface in American film and culture to the casual racist jokes found on t-shirts and apparel, to the loaded language of Covid-19, this racially-motivated hate must be addressed and we as a community and department must resolve to make amends for our role in the perpetuation of this casual culture of socially-accepted hate speech.

We are outraged at the loss of Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Paul Andre Michels, Yong Ae Yue, Suncha Kim, Hyun Jung Grant; the injury of Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz; and the countless other victims of hate and violence directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders over the centuries in this country.

In Arkansas, we recognize a special need to respond to this crisis because of our state’s role in housing AAPI communities in concentration camps during World War II. Knowing our past, we strive to move into a future where we are loud, proud, and constant advocates for the AAPI communities and never silent in the face of acts of hate.

Systemic racism and violence against AAPI communities is not new in this country. There is a long history that tends to be silenced and erased because the contributions and history of AAPI community members are generally not taught and because AAPI individuals are thought/stereotyped as “perpetual foreigners.”

Please note the following linked sources that provide additional information:

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/03/these-are-the-victims-of-the-atlanta-spa-shootings.html

https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/?fbclid=IwAR3u0nMHWF-6ExCBXOv-cNzwZRYCvuBhGuLvZPLb7epak6JhOAedhxhERnk

https://stopaapihate.org/

English Department Statement in Solidarity with Protests

Dear Members and Friends of the English Department,

We are reaching out to you in pain and solidarity in these days of uprising against our nation’s fundamental structural injustices, longstanding and deep-rooted injustices most recently exposed by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and others. Our university, like so many, has long participated in maintaining those structures, as our administrators have acknowledged. We must all work together, and stand up for one another, if we are to help bring change.

Read the rest of the department's statement by clicking here.

Click here for a list of links to other statements and organizations in support of Black Lives Matter.

Click here for the department's response to #BlackatUark.

Indigenous Roots and Futures Virtual Panel Discussion (11/19/20)

CORONAVIRUS / COVID-19 UPDATES

For everyone’s safety, many faculty and staff members are continuing to work remotely. We are still available to assist you during our normal office hours, and recommend reaching out via email to get in touch.

Looking for the latest campus updates on Coronavirus/COVID-19? The #UARK website has the most up-to-date information at https://health.uark.edu/coronavirus/.

Please note: Guidance from the CDC, Arkansas Department of Health and university may change rapidly given the fluidity of the situation.