The violence against Asian-Americans late last week was shocking and I agree with the University’s statement.

These events capped what has been an especially difficult year for Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. I communicated with our APALSA leadership last week and over the weekend to learn how the Iowa Law community can be supportive. I was disappointed, but not especially surprised, to learn that prejudice against members of the Asian community exists here in Iowa too and that venturing out in public sometimes exposes members of our community to hate. This saddens me.

No one should have to feel the pain of racial injustice, and we must stand together against it. As the President said over the weekend: “Hate can have no safe harbor in America. It should have no safe harbor anywhere in the world. We must join together to make it stop.” In that spirit, the Iowa Law community stands with all of the members of our community who have felt the sting of racial prejudice.

One lesson of the last year is that these national crises affect all of us, but they do not affect each of us equally.

I want to thank so many members of our community who are working hard to end racism and build a just and inclusive society. I condemn racial prejudice and violence and I also acknowledge that we still have much work to do. I want to thank all of those in our community who face unfair prejudices, large or small, implicit or explicit, and yet courageously continue to move forward each day with grace and dignity.

Kevin K. Washburn
N. William Hines Dean and Professor of Law