We firmly denounce anti-Asian and the wave of hate crimes levied against Asian and Asian American communities in the United States. There is no place for racism, xenophobia, or gender-based violence in our society, and these run counter to the Fulbright Program’s mission.

We stand with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and Fulbright Lotus in this time of collective grief and outrage. The shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, targeted this community, which has experienced a rise in hate and harassment over the past year. Our hearts are with the families of Daoyou Feng, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Xiaojie Tan, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Yong Ae Yue.

The Fulbright Program brings people together to learn from our differences and share in the collective humanity of Fulbright participants and their host communities. No one deserves to be discriminated against, bullied, assaulted, or killed because of who they are, where they are from, or the color of their skin.