Due to the recent rise in Anti-Asian violence, further amplified by the hateful shooting in Atlanta that included six Asian women, the Asian community is sharing a deep pain. While it is so critical to confront the racism that continues to cause such violence, it is equally as important to take care of one another and share strength with one another during these painful times.
A note from CYSO partner Andrew Hong of New Roots: Growing Anti-Racist & Anti-Bias Communities
In partnership with CYSO, I am offering two healing circles of community care for CYSO’s Asian-identifying students. This will be a safe space exclusively for those students who identify as Asian, not to exclude others, but to focus on and make room for the heightened personal need of Asian members to connect over this specific shared struggle. These circles will be an opportunity to pause and pay closer attention to their thoughts and feelings, to share how this Anti-Asian violence has impacted them personally, and to simply care for each other through this moment.
Circles will take place on April 8 and 10th. Students and families should check their email for specific times and registration info. These circles are completely optional and registration is limited to Asian-identifying CYSO students in 7th-12th grade.
Update April 12: We are grateful to the students who took part in the this weekend’s circles. Students shared that they felt the session was a “safe space” to express their thoughts and share with others “in my community experiencing the same things [as me].” Another student shared that “there are just so many of us who are dealing with so much at this time and I was so blessed to be able to hear their story and to be in such a vulnerable spot with them. I really thank all of the individuals who joined together today to share and heal.”
Healing spaces are a new resource in CYSO’s growing repertoire of student supports. We’re grateful to Andrew and our partners at New Roots for helping us consider new ways of serving our community. We recognize that though the needs of the Asian community are heightened right now due to recent events, they are not separate from the critical needs of other communities that have been and continue to be threatened. We stand with all communities and identities, and moving forward, CYSO will continue to offer opportunities to help our young musicians of various identities heal, connect, and support one another.
