On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, Hostos presented “Speaking Up for AAPI at Hostos,” a roundtable discussion supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Interim President Daisy Cocco De Filippis and the Chair of the College-wide Senate Professor Ernest Ialongo welcomed distinguished panel guests Congresswoman Grace Meng, Senator John Liu, The City University of New York’s Asian American and Asian Research Institute Executive Director Joyce Moy, Guttman Community College Assistant Professor Grace Pai, Hostos professors Kristopher Burrell, Helen Chang, and Victor Torres Velez, and student Sadia Zaman.
“Speaking Up for AAPI at Hostos” was moderated by Diana Kreymer, Assistant to the President and Director of the President’s Office. The virtual discussion addressed the recent spike in anti-Asian hate crimes and racism against AAPI communities across the city and country, contextualizing it within the broader sphere of violence against communities of color. Panelists also discussed the history of and opportunities for interracial solidarity and allyship and the importance of encouraging students’ socio-political awareness, including them in such conversations, and empowering them to lead the way forward.
May’s roundtable “Speaking Up for AAPI” was part of the College’s
12th Annual Center for Teaching and Learning Professional Development hosted by the CTL Advisory Council and dedicated to the late and beloved Hostos Professor Isabel Li.
Watch the “Speaking Up for AAPI at Hostos” roundtable here.