Supporting AAPI Community – Letter from Mr. Stockdale and Dr. Smith

March 18, 2021


To The Webb Community,

In the midst of so much promising news that the global pandemic continues to slow and vaccination rates improve here and across the country, comes a stream of devastating news of increased hate crimes and targeted violence against Asians and Asian Americans—most recently the horrendous killings reported in Atlanta over the last few days. This news has roiled the Webb community, here in Claremont and around the world.

During the entire span of Webb’s near 100-year history, Asian and Asian American students and families have been vital members of our community. Generation after generation of alumni have shared their sons and daughters with us. They have contributed exponentially to our growth, excellence and the unmatched sense of home and community we enjoy here. We are and will remain grateful. We are and will remain their strongest, most loyal supporters. To all of our Asian and Asian American students, families, staff, faculty, trustees, and alumni, please know that Webb is a community you can count on.

As we work to emerge from a dark time in the United States when bigotry and hate were given a national platform, a time when attempts were made to normalize a destructive rhetoric that stands in clear opposition to our own values as a country and school community, we want to voice our collective outrage over the bigotry, hatred, and violence perpetrated against Asians and Asian Americans; we categorically condemn all such acts and those who commit them. We are pleased to report to you that The Honorable Judy Chu who represents our district and also leads the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, recently met with the Department of Justice and has called for new legislation to improve reporting of hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans and proposed a national day to speak out on March 26. We support her actions. 

In our own community, we ask for everyone to do their part to help make this a safe and inclusive space. Director of Equity John Choi, in collaborations with other administrators on campus, will be reaching out with resources for the community beginning with a special chapel/forum for students, faculty and staff to reflect, share and support one another tomorrow. Please be in touch with our deans of students, director of alumni relations, director of equity, or our director of parent relations—or to the two of us—with concerns or for support. Also remember that our Lighthouse partnership provides an anonymous space to report incidents in the Webb community.

In closing here, to our own Asian and Asian American community, we want to restate that nothing is more important to all of us at Webb than your safety and wellbeing. We will do whatever we can to support you and your families during this most difficult period on campus and beyond. We stand with you as one community.

Sincerely,

Taylor Stockdale
Head of Schools

Theresa Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Head of Schools

Details
March 21, 2021

8:32 AM PDT