Resolution Condemning Racialized Impact of COVID-19

on Asian, African American, and All Underrepresented Populations

WHEREAS, Seattle Colleges is a higher education community made up of diverse students, faculty, staff, and administrators. 

WHEREAS, there are over 130 Asian American, Native American Pacific Islander-designated colleges and universities across the United States; 

WHEREAS, the Asian American and Pacific Islander population is more heterogeneous than any other racial group in the U.S., with more than 48 ethnicities, over 300 spoken languages, various socioeconomic statuses, immigration histories, cultures, and religions;

WHEREAS, We are disturbed and alarmed by the senseless and frequent incidents of  xenophobia, aggression, and racially motivated harassment and hate crimes against Asians and the Asian Pacific Islander Communities on college campuses and throughout the country since COVID-19 outbreak;

WHEREAS, Data have shown that people of color, especially African Americans, indigenous Americans, and Pacific Islanders face unequal access to health care and have shorter life expectancies. Further, Latino Americans, African Americans, and underrepresented Americans, in particular, are contracting and dying of COVID-19 at a much higher rate. 

WHEREAS, Since its inception, Seattle Colleges has valued and honored the rich diversity among the faculty, staff, and the immigrant and international student populations, including their rich cultural traditions, political and economic contributions; 

WHEREAS, Diversity, Inclusion, and Community is one of Seattle Colleges’ strategic goals and one of our core values;

WHEREAS, Recent insensitive and irresponsible association of COVID-19 with Chinese or Asian communities has served to inflame racism and incite xenophobia locally and globally; 

THEREFORE, BE IT Resolved, the Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees hereby denounces racialized inequality in America’s healthcare system; condemns all forms of racism against Asians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Latino Americans, African Americans and indigenous Americans and other communities of color; joins communities, cities, counties, and states across the country in condemning acts of aggression and hate crimes targeting communities of color; urges students, employees, and community partners to interrupt instances of racisms and intolerance by reporting such behavior to college and district Human Resources Directors and to the Washington State Human Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission.

Affirmed and adopted by Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees on this 11th day of June, 2020.