Dear members of the Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholars Community,
We write to you to share our deep sadness over continued acts of racist violence towards the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. As advocates for the postdoctoral and visiting scholars community, the Berkeley Postdoctoral Association is concerned for the welfare and safety of AAPI scholars and is committed to providing networks of support and advocating for the well-being of AAPI postdocs and visiting scholars. We encourage you to participate with us to provide support for AAPI scholars and educate ourselves on the history of Anti-AAPI hate.
We invite all to read the recent comments by Dean Michael Lu of the School of Public Health that provides a personal narrative, a message of support for AAPI scholars, and the historical context of Anti-AAPI hate.
We also share the following resources for AAPI scholars and allies:
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Find where to get support and make a report
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Help when you see incidents of hate, violence and harassment through Bears that care – active bystander training. External bystander training is also available through ihollaback.
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Employee Assistance is available to any staff member who would like to talk to a counselor
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Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has counselors who specialize in working with AAPI students and provides a weekly discussion and support space for students.
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Stay informed - 45% of reports to StopAAPIHate originated in California. Read the most recent report.
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Develop a toolkit for how to respond to COVID-19 Anti-Asian Racism with resources from Learning for Justice.
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Volunteer with Compassion in Oakland as a chaperone to promote safety and community.
The Berkeley Postdoctoral Association (BPA) has utilized recent COVID-19 and mental health surveys to understand the postdoctoral and visiting scholar community’s current needs. However, the BPA recognizes that these surveys are limited. Please do not hesitate to contact the Berkeley Postdoctoral Association directly to notify the board about any comments or concerns: bpaboard@lists.berkeley.edu (Note: emails must be sent from a berkeley.edu email). The BPA especially invites any messages from the AAPI community.