We’d like to take a moment to address the violence against Asian and Asian American communities that has been rampant over the past year and that has recently culminated in a shooting in Georgia on Tuesday, March 16th. Eight people, including six women of Asian descent, are dead: Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, 33; Xiaojie Tan, 49; Daoyou Feng, 44; Hyun Jung Grant, 51; Suncha Kim, 69; Soon Chung Park, 74; Yong Ae Yue, 63; and Paul Andre Michels, 54. Elcias Hernandez-Ortiz, 30, is currently in intensive care following this shooting. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. There have been almost 3,800 anti-Asian attacks over this past year, fueled by racism as well as the deeply harmful and violent rhetoric that has blamed Asian people for the current pandemic. We at the Center for Literary Publishing and Colorado Review stand with and in support of the AAPI community; this violence is unacceptable and must stop.

The history of anti-Asian violence in the United States has been largely ignored or glossed over, but that history is prevalent nonetheless. We at the CLP are committed to continuing our education about systemic racism, recognizing how we have participated, and using our platform within the literary community to uplift AAPI voices and stories.

We encourage you to follow Stop AAPI Hate on any social media accounts you have. They are an organization working to put an end to this wave of hatred and violence. On their website, you can report any incidents of anti-Asian violence as well as make donations. GoFundMe has also created a central page for verified fundraisers to help victims of anti-Asian violence. This article from CNN for more information about this violence and what you can do to help.