The Huntington News April 2, 2021
The independent student newspaper of the Northeastern community
@HuntNewsNU
Photo courtesy Lawrence Deng Last week, more than 1,250 students, faculty and staff joined together in support of Northeastern’s Asian American community by co-signing a letter demanding action from the administration. The demands included greater funding and resources as well as increased representation of Asian American voices in the curriculum.
NU ASIAN COMMUNITY DEMANDS UNIVERSITY ACTION, ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RECURRING ISSUES By Kelly Chan | News Staff Leaders of the Asian American community across Northeastern’s campuses nationwide are tired of not being heard. More than 1,250 students, faculty and staff have co-signed a letter demanding action from the administration for greater funding, resources, transparency and other measures to address issues faced by the Asian American community. It has been signed by nearly every executive board member of every Asian American cultural organization as well as student leaders from organizations, such as the Student Government Association, Council for University Programs and Greek organizations. “We want more opportunities to learn about our history and our issues through representation in the courses that are offered,” the letter read. “We want increased resources for all cultural centers and for mental health centers in order to ease the burden placed
upon students. We want Northeastern to support our surrounding Asian American communities. We want a chance to speak with you regularly with other student leaders of color and for actionable change.” The letter was released Tuesday, March 23 via Instagram on Northeastern’s Pan Asian American Council, or PAAC, account. It asks the university to respond to immediate action items, including opportunities to meet with administrators, culturally appropriate mental health resources and a decrease in campus policing. It also highlights several anonymous testimonials detailing experiences of gaslighting, microaggressions and frustration as members of the Asian American community. Claire Blaufox, president of the Chinese Student Association and the incoming co-chair of PAAC for the 2021-22 academic year, was the initial driving force for this letter. Much of her motivation stems from anti-Asian hate crimes that have spiked since the onset of COVID-19, which was referred to as the “China virus”
and “Kung Flu” by former President Donald Trump. More recently, Blaufox was struck by the fatal shootings of eight victims in Atlanta: Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan and Daoyou Feng. Six of them were Asian American. “The Atlanta hate crimes hit so close to home on so many levels. I was just really struggling and processing the grief, the fear,” said Blaufox, a third-year chemical engineering major. “[This letter] is the one thing I’m clinging to. I still haven’t had time to cope with what is going on in Atlanta, but seeing all of this support has helped me feel.” In response to the recent attacks, President Joseph E. Aoun sent an email March 17 to the student body to extend the university’s support of the Asian community and denounce these hate crimes. “I join with all members of the Northeastern community in condemning these racist acts,” the email ASIAN AMERICAN, on Page 2
Kim Janey sworn in as 55th mayor of Boston By Mihiro Shimano News Staff Kim Janey was sworn in Wednesday, March 24 at Boston City Hall, making history as the first woman and first Black mayor of Boston. She stepped into the role after former Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh resigned in order to take on the role of labor secretary under the Biden administration. Janey, who was the former representative for District 7 and president of the Boston City Council, will lead the city as acting mayor until a new mayor is elected in November. Janey has yet to announce whether she will be running. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, the
first Black woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress, led the swearing-in ceremony, praising Janey for her work and success in office. She also highlighted the significance of the moment for women and communities of color. Janey was sworn in by Chief Justice Kimberly Budd of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, also the first Black woman to hold her position. “I stand before you as the first woman and the first Black mayor of Boston, the city that I love,” Janey said in her speech. “I come to this day with a life experience that is different from the men who came before me.” As a sixth-generation Roxbury
resident, Janey projects a mayoral image that is vastly different from the white men who have held the position before her. Before her swearing-in, she tweeted about her frequent use of public transportation and her speciality dish, “the best sweet potato pie,” displaying her humble roots. Janey first began her political endeavors volunteering for Mel King’s historic run as the first Black person to run for mayor of Boston. She was also involved with Massachusetts Advocates for Children. As a mother to Kimesha Janey and grandmother of three, she looks to successfully and safely reopen schools in the city. Janey also spoke about her own
traumatic experience in the Boston Public School system, where she was bused to a school in Charlestown during the 1970s desegregation efforts. As she takes over as mayor, she looks to address the inequalities and disparities of race in Boston, including dismantling systemic racism through police reform. “Our nation and our city are built on a promise that achieving your dreams is possible — regardless of race, religion, immigration status, income, gender identity or who you love — but we have so much work to do to make those dreams real for everyone,” she said. “We have to start by calling out the challenges facing our city openly, honestly and transparently.”
Photo by Mihiro Shimano On March 24, Kim Janey became the first woman and first Black mayor of Boston.