Hate has no place at PCC.

Tolerance, like any aspect of peace, is forever a work in progress, never completed and, if we're as intelligent as we like to think we are, never abandoned.

Octavia Butler, PCC alumna 1968

“Pasadena City College will work to activate every member of our community to take a stand against racially motivated hate, intimidation, threats and violence.”

Dr. Cynthia Olivo, Vice President, Student Services
Dr. Rebecca Cobb, Dean of Student Life
Dr. Kari Bolen, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

"The real power of any movement is how we work together with other social justice movements."

Dustin Lance Black, PCC Alumnus 1994

"The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time."

Jackie Robinson, PCC Alumnus 1936

"One of the greatest things in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be. You're the one who'll decide what you want to be."

Jaime Escalante, PCC Alumnus 1969

Hate has no place at PCC

NO Hate Zone Graphic

#stophate

We stand with you.

PCC denounces hatred and violence in all its forms and is committed to humanity and social justice as an ongoing endeavor that we highly value. 

Many organizations within PCC have passed resolutions or issued official statements condemning hatred.

Black Lives Matter at PCC is more than a statement. It is a governing principle for real dialogue, fearless inquiry, and deliberate action that will align our college community with the core belief that systemic racism has no place in our society.

Join Us

Many organizations within PCC have passed resolutions or issued official statements condemning hatred and affirming the college’s commitment to the health, safety, well-being, and progress of our Black/African American students, faculty and staff.

Read Office Statements and Resolutions

Dear Campus Community,  

We hope this email finds you well. With the encouragement of a colleague and the responses of students, we felt it important to share information about what is happening in Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh) with the entire campus community because we work with many students and colleagues who identify as Armenian. 

What is happening?

While this has had very little news coverage, some of you may be aware of it due to social media. On Sunday morning, Azerbaijan executed military strikes against Artsakh with heavy artillery fire directed at civilian targets. Artsakh is a territory made up of indigenous, ethnic Armenians that broke from Azerbaijan post USSR in 1991. In 1994 (and again in 2016), a ceasefire was signed to bring peace to the region, but that ceasefire has constantly been interrupted by Azerbaijan with small attacks and skirmishes throughout the years, including one just this past July. However, what happened on Sunday has been the most severe attack since the 1990s. Armenia/Artsakh is on the brink of war and hundreds of people on both sides have already paid the price with their lives. The indigenous Armenian population does not want this war and is left defending themselves against an onslaught of military attacks.  

Why should you care?

  • Many of us, our students, and colleagues have families living in the region; some were born there; many are connected to Artsakh/Armenia in some way or another. 
  • Others of us who personally have no family living in Armenia anymore, have found ourselves frozen, fearful, and crying consistently since Sunday feeling useless and helpless. When one Armenian is hurt, all Armenians are in pain.  
  • This brings about generational trauma in Armenians. The history of the Armenian Genocide and the recent statements made by regional leaders have left the indigenous Armenian population in fear of continuous ethnic cleansing.  
  • Armenians in the diaspora around the world, including here in Los Angeles, are also in fear due to anti-Armenian attacks and vandalism on Armenian schools, buildings, and monuments.  
  • Small wars like this have larger global impacts if not stopped early. Consider the location of Armenia, landlocked in the middle of the Caucasus, and its neighbors and their regional interests of domination.   

What can you do?

  • Consider the context in which your Armenian students and colleagues may be living. If you are teaching a class, be even more considerate than you already are if they are late with homework, disengaged, or not present. 
  • If you're meeting with an Armenian student, acknowledge that you know what is taking place and ask if they are impacted and how they are feeling. The mere notion that someone who is NOT Armenian cares or asks speaks volumes.  
  • Reach out to students and colleagues that you know are of Armenian descent and ask them how they are doing. This is an example of a student response we've received: 
    • “I’ve been crying so much from everything going on. My cousin in Armenia isn’t answering his phone and we aren’t sure whether he’s fighting or what happened in general. It’s so disheartening. It’s been a terrible weekend… I’ve been on Twitter a lot lately and all I’m seeing are Turks and Azeris attacking us. They’re so many in number. It’s ridiculous. I haven’t even done any assignments because this took such a big toll on me, so to know that one of my professors … is reaching out to her students warms my heart so much.” 

How can you help further?

  • Contact your elected representatives and let them know you are concerned with what is going on in Artsakh. Sign petitions asking the UN and NATO for support. Armenians do not want this war and we need more international attention to help us put an end to it.  
  • Educate yourselves with what is going on.  
  • If you have social media, please post and raise awareness.  
  • And if you're inclined, donate. Armenia has a small, developing economy and is now up against a country with a GDP and population much higher than its own, whose military is now being supported by Turkey: https://armeniafund.ejoinme.org/donate 

Dear Lancer Family:

There are increasingly concerning reports of violence in the region of Asia known as Artsakh or Nagorno-Karabakh. While this area has known conflict for nearly 30 years, the recent spike in violence is deeply troubling, and it has had a sharp impact on the Armenian community at PCC.

Although we have been working remotely, the recent news has caused great concern for our Armenian colleagues and the students we serve at our college. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to see video footage of military strikes within their country of origin, and to hear of death and destruction in places that carry deep meaning for our Armenian community’s family and friends.  I also find it unacceptable that the United States did not reiterate its denunciation of the Armenian Genocide earlier this year, which has already led to feelings of isolation in the Armenian community while likely emboldening regional strongmen to escalate the violence.  For these reasons and more, I know the PCC community stands strong with the people of Artsakh. We call for an immediate end to hostilities and hope all parties will bridge their divisions through regular diplomatic means.

Below, I am pleased to include some resources that have previously been circulated by the Armenian Student Association. You may also be interested in attending an Armenian solidarity ceremony at 7 p.m. tonight at Pasadena City Hall, at which speakers and advocates will further address this issue.

Lastly, I ask that if you know of someone who is under stress, please reach out and offer to help. This year we have witnessed an unusually high level of strife and stress, and we can only address these issues by coming together.

Please be safe and healthy,

Erika

What can you do?

  • Consider the context in which your Armenian students and colleagues may be living. If you are teaching a class, be even more considerate than you already are if they are late with homework, disengaged, or not present. 
  • If you're meeting with an Armenian student, acknowledge that you know what is taking place and ask if they are impacted and how they are feeling. The mere notion that someone who is NOT Armenian cares or asks speaks volumes.  
  • Reach out to students and colleagues that you know are of Armenian descent and ask them how they are doing. This is an example of a student response we've received: 
    • “I’ve been crying so much from everything going on. My cousin in Armenia isn’t answering his phone and we aren’t sure whether he’s fighting or what happened in general. It’s so disheartening. It’s been a terrible weekend… I’ve been on Twitter a lot lately and all I’m seeing are Turks and Azeris attacking us. They’re so many in number. It’s ridiculous. I haven’t even done any assignments because this took such a big toll on me, so to know that one of my professors … is reaching out to her students warms my heart so much.” 

Personal stories from a Pasadena City College professor along with her Asian American history course insights have proved unforgetteable and vital years after class concluded.

Read On

From the Pasadena Star-News

Dear colleagues:

These already challenging times have been underscored by the increased presence of racism, inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric, and violence targeting Asian-American and Pacific Islander persons, families, and communities. As a college committed to confronting racial injustice and inequity legacies of the past, acknowledging the realities of the present and doing the work towards an equitable future, we condemn anti-Asian racism in all forms. Advancing racial equity and inclusion for people of all races and ethnicities is critical to guaranteeing the safety and security of everyone. Pasadena City College will work to activate every member of our community to take a stand against racially motivated hate, intimidation, threats and violence. We stand firm in our support of our Asian-American and Pacific Islander community—our students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

You may find these resources helpful:

Coping with Xenophia and Anti-Asian Racism:

Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism:

Reporting Xenophobia and Anti-Asian Racism:

We will keep you informed regarding any upcoming events to further discuss this commitment.

In Solidarity,

Dr. Cynthia Olivo, Vice President, Student Services
Dr. Rebecca Cobb, Dean of Student Life
Dr. Kari Bolen, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

Dear Colleagues,

As we move into spring, the decline in COVID infections and a vaccine’s arrival bring new hope and joy to a long and painful year.

With hope on the horizon, the dark clouds of racism and hate loom. Since the pandemic’s beginning, hurtful words and deadly physical attacks have targeted the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. From Pasadena, Rosemead, Oakland, New York and now the deadly shootings in Atlanta, these attacks serve as a painful reminder of the unresolved conversations around racism in America.

Our elders have been targeted, and businesses and places of worship have been desecrated. Our students have shared stories of bullying, racial slurs, and physical violence. In its statement against AAPI hate, University of Massachusetts, Boston, reminds us, “Unfortunately, there is no vaccine against the pandemic of hate and violence directed toward Asian Americans—nor the ignorance, opportunism, and vitriolic racism that has fueled it.”

We call on our campus to acknowledge our pain, denounce AAPI hate, and dispel the model minority myth. We need to disaggregate our AAPI students’ data in order to dedicate more support to our AAPI community (faculty, staff, AND students). We need our allied communities to stand up against all forms of racism and white supremacy in all the spaces they inhabit. We acknowledge that the roots of AAPI hate lie in the roots of anti-Blackness. The same disease of racism kills without regard to skin color. ACT to CHANGE, a national organization against bullying focused on the AAPI community, asserts, “We remember that our strength lies in our solidarity. It’s not me vs. you. It’s us vs. racism.” Join us in standing against hate. Please use and share the resources listed below.

Sincerely,

Coalition of Asian Pacific Employees (CAPE)
Association of Latino Employees
The Association of Black Employees
PCC JAN (Joint Armenian Network)

#StopAAPIHate
#IAmNotAVirus

PCC API Student Guide/Resources

Community Resources

Documenting and addressing:

Bystander intervention training:

Mental health support:

Anti-Asian Hate, Aggression, and Racism in the News (trigger warning)

Read More

Our hearts are heavy. Last night, 8 people were killed in Asian-owned spas in Atlanta, 6 of them being Asian American women. This targeted hate crime was an act of violence perpetrated by white supremacy against our AAPI community. The Freeman center denounces this violence and all forms of racism against our AAPI community. We stand in solidarity against xenophobia and racism and acknowledge that anti-racism must include the Asian American experience. To our AAPI community, we see you and you deserve better. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.

#StopAsianHate

The Pasadena City College Academic Senate declares to take action to reduce the impact of racism1 from within our campus and to assume proactive responsibility for teaching students and the community about the sources and impacts of racism.    

View the Resolution

Dear Students and Colleagues,

It is with sadness and horror that we are once again responding to unthinkable violence.  The recent deaths of eight innocent people, six of them women of Asian descent, has shaken us to our core. We are heartbroken. 

The long history of racism in America towards Asians born in the U.S. and visiting the U.S. is what has brought us here today.  Previous administrations have put a target on the backs of all People of Color, giving permission for acts of racial violence.

We are not naive to the historical mistreatment of Asians in America. The Chinese Exclusion Act, the use of Chinese laborers to build the railroads, the internment of the Japanese, the heinous murder of Vincent Chin in Detroit, MI., because of his Asian descent, are some examples of racism and the pure disregard for Asian lives. We all have seen Asian Americans as they have been caricatured in comics and films. The Model Minority Myth continues to perpetuate these dangerous stereotypes as well. We recognize that these beliefs are harmful and contribute to the discrimination of Asian Americans.

This event has affected us on a very personal level.  As your health care providers, you have shared your life with us. You have come to us with immunization records we cannot read and sat patiently as we Google translated.  You have shared memories of your home country’s New Year's traditions and your disappointment in missing home this year. We have shared in your joy and pride as you graduate and transfer. 

We have been witnesses to your lives and have been forever changed by them.  Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your culture. Our knowledge of the world has grown because of you. 

We, the Student Health Services staff, stand with the Asian American community during this difficult time and will continue to advocate for Asian American students. We are committed to learning to speak out and push back against discrimination and denigration in all its forms. We join with the entire PCC community as we strive for a more just and respectful campus. Know that we are here for you.

There is an Indonesian folk saying - Tak kenal maka saying - 'If you don't know it, you can't love it.” We are grateful to you for helping us in our journey to know it. 

In solidarity,

The Student Health Center 

Hello Lancer Family:

As many of you know, there has been an upsurge in Anti-Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) violence in our country, most recently in the shooting that killed 8 people in Atlanta this past Tuesday.  At Wednesday’s Board meeting, I read an eloquent joint statement from CAPE, ALE, TABE, and PCC JAN denouncing the violence and acknowledging that “the roots of AAPI hate lie in the roots of anti-Blackness.  The same disease of racism kills without regard to skin color.”  

I am writing to you today to ask that you stand with me in rejecting anti-AAPI violence.  The Caucuses of the Community College League of California have approved a resolution condemning this violence, which the PCC Board of Trustees will vote on at its April 21st Board Meeting. 

In the meantime, below, please find information for a webinar – Silence is Violence: Unpacking and Addressing AAPI Violence – that will be held next Saturday, March 27th, from 1-3.  It is free, and I encourage everyone to register and to attend the event.  

I stand in solidarity with our AAPI community because racism and hate can only be eradicated if it is rejected wholesale.  Please join me in this effort and help to make PCC a welcoming, safe space for everyone. 

View Statement

View Statement

April 20, 2021

Dear colleagues:

Today we have heard the news that a jury in Minneapolis found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts when he caused the death of George Floyd last May. I am sure I speak for the entire PCC community when I say that I am pleased to know that justice in this case has been done.

George Floyd’s death has come to represent the horrifyingly pervasive violence that is committed against Black, indigenous people of color. While today’s ruling indicates that there will be consequences for those who commit violence, in too many cases the perpetrators of this violence have not been held responsible for their deadly actions. More importantly, there is no justice in a system that continues to incarcerate BIPOC men and women at disproportionate rates; that refuses to allow equitable access to housing, jobs, and education opportunities; and that applies immense pressure on families, young people, and communities that strive for progress. The news from Minneapolis today delivers only a fraction of the justice that so many of our friends, colleagues, and neighbors need to bring their lives back into balance.

As the ramifications of this case continue to be felt, here and around the country, I encourage you to discuss your views. Talk with people and share your thoughts, so that we can work together to advance the cause for justice. At PCC, we will have opportunities for our “head space” to match our “heart space” in relation to these developments, starting with a community conversation on Thursday. More details will be sent separately. 

If these events are causing someone you know to feel stress or anxiety, please encourage them to seek help. PCC’s Employee Assistance Program provides free and low-cost counseling services on demand for staff and faculty, and Mental Health and Wellness Services is available for students in need of help.

My thoughts are with George Floyd, his family, and all who have been affected by police violence. I encourage you to reflect on these issues today as well. 

Sincerely,
Erika Endrijonas, Ph.D.

Dear Lancer Community,

On Saturday, June 19th, we honor the end of slavery in the United States and the day in 1865 when news of the Emancipation Proclamation – issued by President Lincoln two and a half years earlier – finally reached the last remaining slaves in Texas. The year following, freed persons in Texas organized the first annual celebration of “Jubilee Day” on June 19. Now known as Juneteenth, it is the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery and perhaps the most significant event in American history. It is a date that acknowledges the fundamental promise of America: for a life of equality, liberty and freedom for all.  One hundred and fifty-six years later, we are still pursuing that American promise.

Juneteenth recognizes a belated liberation for Black people in the United States, yet is a reminder that, although our nation has come a long way from our history of state-sanctioned slavery and segregation, the continuing work to promote racial equality and justice for all remains unfinished. As we welcome Juneteenth as a federal holiday written into law, we cannot help but to reflect on the lives lost and the dreams deferred by acts of racially-motivated violence and systemic injustice.  Our work must continue to address the legacies of systemic oppression still present in our day—in education, healthcare, housing, economic prosperity and the justice system. We move forward, as a College, in recognition of the work that remains for us—as a community and as a nation—to achieve the full promise of freedom.

As a moment of collective reflection in the global fight for racial equality, join the Pasadena and Altadena community for a series of events to mark the Juneteenth holiday:

Come take part as we celebrate the significance of this day and a renewed fight against racial injustice in America.

In Solidarity,

Kari E. Bolen, Ed.D.
Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

 

In solidarity.

ALE (Association of Latino Employees)
Academic Athletic Zone
Associated Students
Black Student Success Center
Blackademia
Board of Trustees
CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacific Employees)
CORE Program
Classified Senate
Counseling
DSP&S
Faculty Association
Inscape Magazine
JAN (Joint Armenian Network)
Management Association
Mental Health & Wellness Services
PCC Foundation
PCC Library
PCC's First Year Experience
Puente Project
QUEST Center
Robert G. Freeman Center for Career & Completion
Safe Zones Coalition
Student Health Services
The Association of Black Employees (TABE)
Ujima
Veterans Resource Center

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