In the midst of a global pandemic, our country has seen a disturbingly sharp rise in anti-Asian attacks, harassment, and rhetoric. As President Karol V. Mason pointed out in her letter to the John Jay community, “Hate is deadly and we cannot be silent when we see it. Instead, we must stand together and confront the rising anti-Asian racism our country is witnessing.” In support of our Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, we recently brought together a group of AAPI students and faculty to express their feelings, thoughts, and concerns in a safe space. With their permission, our “Stop Asian Hate” article series reflects elements of that gathering in an effort to educate the entire John Jay community about AAPI culture, experiences, and history. We hope that their pride in their heritage, and their determination to fight hatred and bigotry, inspires us all to confront anti-Asian racism.

Saaif Alam’s ’22 dream of becoming an elected official stems from his upbringing in Queens, New York, where he saw the diverse AAPI community step into the political spotlight. It strengthened and validated his own voice and taught him the power of speaking up to right a wrong. “I bring an intersectional perspective wherever I go. I am an Asian and Muslim man living with a disability, so it’s important to me to empower and amplify voices that are often forced silent,” says Alam, who holds various student and Committee leadership roles at John Jay and CUNY. “Our experiences matter. We matter.”

When news of anti-Asian attacks began to rise in 2020, Alam couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness and a sense of fear. “I was watching the news, and it was clear that hate crimes against the Asian community were becoming more prevalent. To touch on my own personal experience, I was at the Jamaican Center train station when a man came up to me and punched me on my shoulder. It’s a scary time and tensions are high. I think everyone in the Asian community is terrified,” says Alam. Wanting to help, he’s hoping to inspire his John Jay peers, local communities, and elected officials to come together to combat these hate crimes. “This is an opportunity for all of us to work together and for community leaders to spearhead legislation to condemn these anti-Asian attacks, mitigate hate crimes, and bring forward change.”

There are so many different areas of New York represented in this group. Can you share a little about what life was like for you growing up in your neighborhood?
My parents are from Bangladesh. They immigrated here in the 1990s. I was born here and grew up in the Jamaica Hills area of Queens, New York, where the neighborhood was filled with different ethnicities. From 2008 to 2012, there was a big migration of Bengalis moving into the area to pursue better educational and career opportunities. I’m happy to see so many people from my neighborhood pursuing careers as doctors, lawyers, and elected officials. The AAPI community is feeling more empowered politically because so many AAPI members are running for public office, representing their communities, and making sure we’re represented—we have Kamala Harris, the first South Asian Vice President of the United States.

Recent horrific acts of anti-Asian violence have been deeply disturbing and traumatic for people to face, particularly for the AAPI community. What feelings, thoughts, or concerns would you like to share about these events?
I think all of us are terrified of what is happening to the Asian community. No one should be afraid to walk in their neighborhoods or through the City. John Jay is a commuter school, and we should feel safe commuting to campus or going to work—we shouldn’t be scared. We need more legislation proposed by elected officials that would address these hate crimes and create more accountability at the City and State level. I want local leaders, the mayor, and the governor to hold open forums for the Asian community. These town halls and forums present an opportunity for Asian voices to be heard because these hate crimes have to end.

What can people outside of the AAPI community do to be a true ally?
The first step to being a true ally is really listening to our concerns and struggles. Individuals who are not part of the Asian community may not have a real understanding of what the community has gone through, and what it means to be part of that struggle, what it means to be ignored, and not represented. It’s also important to have safe spaces where honest discussions can take place. Having a space or event where we can talk about our experiences as members of the Asian community, and share those stories with individuals who are not part of the community, will engage everyone involved. It will create unity in our local community and John Jay community and it makes sure that our voices are being heard.

If you could name one proactive action that our John Jay College community could take to help support the AAPI community, what would it be?
At John Jay, there needs to be an emphasis on implementing more Asian history and Asian studies into the undergraduate curriculum. Advocating for and incorporating Asian studies will highlight the importance of the Asian community and empower our AAPI community. I also think it’s important to encourage our local leaders to speak up on behalf of the Asian community. At John Jay, we are advocates, and we should push our City Council to create funding for an Anti-Asian hate task force to make sure these hate crimes are condemned.

Finish this sentence: I’m proud to be Asian-American because…
I am proud to be Asian-American because I am grateful for the cultural values I have been raised with, to be a respectful and empathetic member of society.