Support for Lunar New Year Tragedy

Dear campus community,

We are writing to express our support for our campus AAPI community. Like us, many of you woke up yesterday to the news of the horrific mass shooting in Monterey Park, east of Los Angeles, where ten people lost their lives at a dance hall at a widely attended Asian Lunar New Year festival late Saturday night. The shooting occurred on what should have been one of the most joyous dates of Lunar New Year’s Eve. 

Though the shooting occurred in Southern California and at this point has not been determined to be a hate crime, these types of mass tragedies can have a deep psychological impact for members of targeted communities, particularly in the context of systemic racism and hate. In this case the context is systemic anti-Asian violence, well documented here in the Bay Area and across the country. Members of our community may feel unsafe, may grieve, or have their social anxiety escalated about attending public gatherings. Many AAPI families and friendship networks have been busily preparing for the 15 day celebration of Lunar New Year which ends on February 4, 2023 with a sense of community and vulnerability now heightened.

Community Healing Circle

Please join us this Tuesday, January 24, 2023 for a Holding Space for our Asian and Pacific Islander community and allies to come together. Jointly, the Asian Pacific Islander Student Success Center (APISSC), the Pacific Islander Asian American (PIAA) Program, and Student Health & Counseling Services and University Diversity Office will be present virtually and in-person.

• Virtual Holding Space
  Tuesday, Jan 24 from 12-1pm
  
  
• In-Person Holding Space
  Tuesday, Jan 24 from 4–5pm
  UU 2002A - Oakland Room

For Students:

Asian Pacific Islander Student Success Center (APISSC)
Located in New University Union, 2nd Floor, UU 2002A – Oakland Room
Newly opened Center is the university hub providing Asian and Pacific Islander students campus-wide a space to exist freely with their identity, resources for basic needs, opportunities for community building, leadership, and mentorship, access to academic support services and programs, and connection to the PIAA Program.
csueastbay.edu/apissc | Instagram: @csuebapi

PIAA Program

Located in Student and Faculty Support Building, 2nd Floor, SF 224

The PIAA Program is the university-funded academic support program serving undergraduate Asian and Pacific Islander students. Join the program to meet with an academic advisor providing holistic one-on-one advising and to connect students with other PIAA students.
Application (rolling-basis) | Instagram: @csuebpiaa

Please reach out to these campus-based counseling services if you are feeling unsafe or need psychological and emotional support. 

Students may access services at CSU East Bay Counseling Services.

Employees may access confidential counseling services through the CSU East Bay Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

We offer our condolences and empathy to our CSU East Bay AAPI community and families. On such a racially and ethnically diverse campus we know that the pain and empathy extends beyond our AAPI community. We ask that you exercise grace and kindness to others during this time in what should be a joyous start to the new year. 

Sincerely,

Cathy Sandeen         Kathleen Wong(Lau)

President                   University Diversity Officer

January 23, 2023