Standing Together Against Anti-Asian Hate

March 19, 2021

Dear Team Seyfarth,

Belonging only works when we stand with each other and speak up for one other.

This week eight people were killed in Atlanta including six Asian women. This incident in Atlanta cuts very close to home for many of our own. The dialogue around the perpetrator and his motives has only served to create more angst and pain in the midst of the reality of continuing violence and discrimination against people of Asian descent. This is a time when we are invited to stand beside our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) colleagues and acknowledge what is happening nationally.

In 2020, racism was front and center of our collective conscience as the news cycle bombarded us with racial violence which led to what many called an awakening. The racism and pain wasn’t new, certainly not for those living on the receiving end of it. Against this backdrop and in the midst of the pandemic we saw anti-AAPI violence creep up, tied to xenophobia and unsubstantiated fears of the COVID-19 virus resulting in 3,800 incidents reported in the last year. Children have not been spared assaults, elderly individuals have died. On March 17, 2021 in San Francisco, a 75-year-old Chinese woman was attacked on Market Street. This is unjust.

The past year tested us in ways we didn’t anticipate. Between the pandemic, economic uncertainty, personal and organizational hard decisions as well as the realities of racism we have had to stretch our understanding of the challenges we each face. We have been stretched in understanding what it means to be inclusive and cultivate a culture of belonging. It is important that we acknowledge what is happening because we know that racism impacts individuals in very personal ways. Racial trauma is real and impacts stress, anxiety, as well as physical and mental health. Racial trauma comes not just in the acts of violence but the other ways racism shows up -- systemically and interpersonally including through micro-aggressions. And it can be exacerbated by silence.

We simply cannot say we believe in inclusion and belonging and stay silent when some of us are impacted by events directly tied to who they are as members of an underrepresented group. The harassment, verbal abuse and physical violence directed at Asian Americans must be called for what it is -- racist and xenophobic. And we must collectively decry it as unacceptable. Our freedom and liberties are tied to one another in ways that cannot be broken. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best when he reminded us that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I want to reiterate Pete’s message earlier today by reaffirming that at Seyfarth we stand against bigotry, hate, and any behavior erodes the human dignity of any individual.

So what can you do? How can we make a difference?

  • Be an ally. This moment calls not for passive participation but active action. Our antiracism toolkit developed last summer has resources and resources specific to anti-Asian racism are included below. Learning and awareness is a critical component of being an effective ally.
  • Check in on our colleagues and friends. If there is one thing that I know is it is painful to show up to work in the midst of a racial crisis or after a racially violent incident and colleagues act as if it is just another day. Remember it is important to give others the space to engage in ways that are comfortable for them and it may include not wanting to discuss what is happening. Seek to listen more than you speak.
  • Encourage our colleagues to do what is needed to prioritize their mental and overall wellbeing. This includes giving them space if they desire to discuss the anti-Asian violence or how it may or may not be impacting them and their families, or how this may be impacting them and their work.
  • Take the time to learn and understand what has been going on not just nationally but internationally, the ways in which AAPI have been treated as perpetual foreigners and subjected to xenophobia and the impact of racial violence and racism.
  • Our San Francisco office is supporting an effort to raise funds to support Xiao Zhen Xie, the 75 year old woman attacked on Wednesday. Here is the link to the GoFundMe.

As we continue through the year, please expect continued communication and action from the Office of Inclusion and Diversity and our Diversity and Inclusion Action Team. We plan to have some educational sessions and we are exploring ways in which we can more meaningfully engage in our communities. If you have ideas and suggestions, we want to hear from you.

Additional resources you may find helpful include:

Please remember if you are struggling or could benefit from speaking to someone, the firm has resources. We have an Employee Assistance Program through Health Advocate and services through Spring Health.

Standing together,

Kori S. Carew