Statement from UNCF President: UNCF Stands in Solidarity with Asian American Community

UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax issued this statement:

“Since the pandemic began and conspiracy theories were deliberately and falsely asserted blaming China for COVID-19, Asian Americans have been scapegoated and targeted for verbal abuse and increasingly violent assaults. Last week in Atlanta, eight human beings were murdered, six of whom were Asian women, becoming the latest victims of anti-Asian hate crimes and scapegoating.

“For centuries, anti-Asian discrimination, vicious stereotyping, attacks, assaults and violence have been glossed over, tolerated, and even encouraged, and have not been prosecuted and punished as the criminal acts that they are. Since the 19^th century, Asian people, just like Black people, have been singled out in federal, state and local laws that have given statutory legitimacy to discrimination and unequal treatment. Recent hate crimes are the latest in a long history of American violence against non-white individuals, citizens and communities.

“We have stood with our Asian brothers and sisters, just as they have stood with us.  Now, we must be even more explicit and clear that we stand with and we stand for our Asian sisters and brothers and we stand in solidarity and support with the Asian American communities across America today and always.  In the days to come, we will do all we can to recognize and support our Asian TEAM UNCF members, our Asian scholars, our Asian colleague organization, APIA Scholars, and our Asian allies and champions.  They have stood with us, and we must visibly and vocally stand in support of and in solidarity with them.

“UNCF and our HBCUs were founded in the belief that education is a human right, not a privilege for some.  In fighting for educational opportunity for Black people, we have been fighting for educational opportunity for ALL people. In fighting for the human right of education for Black people, we have been fighting for the human right of education for all people. We are a human rights organization at our foundational core, and we are fighting for human rights for all people.”

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About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.