Dear members of the Mandel School community,
The CDC suggests the wearing of masks for the safety of those wearing the mask and those that they encounter. However, for some in our community, the decision goes beyond a basic health decision. For our Brown, Black and Asian sisters and brothers the decision can have life-threatening consequences.
Why is it difficult for communities of color to wear a mask?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been reports of people of Asian descent being singled out, berated and blamed for COVID-19. The institutional and structural racism faced by people with brown and black skin is now seen in the increased impact COVID-19 has in these communities. Yet, when the public sees a person of color wearing a mask, some see this as an act of defiance rather than a health precaution. Aaron Thomas of Columbus, Ohio tweeted:
"I don't feel safe wearing a handkerchief or something else that isn't CLEARLY a protective mask covering my face to the store because I am a Black man living in this world. I want to stay alive but I also want to stay alive."
People of Asian and Chinese descent have been “spit on, yelled at, attacked” (New York Times, 3/23/20) when wearing a protective mask. These experiences go back to early 2020. To quote Xinyuan Cui, a recent graduate of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and member of the Community Innovation Network at the Mandel School:
“I'm proud of my Chinese heritage, as are many in our community. People of Chinese and other Asian descent are not the virus. All of us have the right to wear a mask to protect ourselves as well as others. The violence, verbal abuse, profiling and discrimination that our community has endured must end. We don't want any of our Black, Brown and other Asian community members to suffer anymore.”
These communities are being further marginalized during the current pandemic. Our brothers and sisters are faced with a double burden as they have to decide to risk their own health and safety (by not wearing a mask in public) or to risk being seen by some as a threat when wearing a mask.
Our current situation begs these questions:
- How do we address the unintended consequences for some in our society?
- What do we do about the implicit bias which impacts well-meaning public health strategies?
As a school of social work, we are committed to acknowledging and addressing racism and inequities. We cannot sit idly by while members of our community are at increased levels of risk. We implore those in the community, law enforcement, security guards and bystanders to take time to think about what it is like for someone who is Brown, Black or Asian to face this decision on a daily basis. Please, as you go about your day, and you encounter those wearing masks, for whom this might have been a particularly difficult decision or those who have made the difficult decision to not wear a mask, stop and think before you act or react.
We are thankful, every day, for the courageous nurses, doctors, social workers and others who, despite the daily confrontation of racism, leave their homes to provide care, support and services to those in need. We see you, and we thank you. Let us use this time to build community and feel appreciation for each other.
We need to unite together to address COVID-19-related harassment and discrimination that is currently happening to our Brown, Black and Asian community members.
Sincerely,
Adrianne M. Fletcher, PhD
Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion
Nancy Rolock, PhD
Henry L. Zucker Associate Professor of Social Work Practice
Associate Dean of Research and Training
Grover C. Gilmore, PhD
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Dean in Applied Social Sciences
亲爱的各位 Mandel社区成员：
国家(美国)疾病控制与预防中心建议人们外出到公共场合时，都应佩戴口罩，以保护自己并帮助防止疾病传播给他人。然而，对我们社区的一些成员说，这并不是一个基本的健康决定。我们的少数族裔(包括华人、亚裔、西班牙裔、拉丁裔、黑人、非裔等)的兄弟姐妹们这在面临这个决定可能会造成危及生命的后果。
是什么在阻止少数族裔群体戴上防护口罩（以保护自己和他人）？
自从疫情开始蔓延，就有关于针对华人和亚裔的报道，华人和亚裔甚至被指责为疫情的罪魁祸首。在面临体制和结构上的种族主义，有关疫情的负面影响在西班牙裔、拉丁裔、黑人、非裔等社区中也日益严重。当在公众看到一个少数族裔社区成员戴着口罩时，有些人并不认为这是一种健康预防措施，甚至认为这是一种挑衅行为。俄亥俄州哥伦布市的亚伦·托马斯（音译）在推特上写道:
“因为我是活在这个世上的黑人，当我用手帕或其他显然不是防护口罩之类的东西罩着面部去商店时，感觉不安全。我想维持生活，但也想保命。”
华人和亚裔曾因为出于保护自己和他人的目的戴口罩时，被当众唾弃、被大声呵斥、被攻击（信息来源: New York Times, 3/23/20）。Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel应用社会科学学院的毕业生、Community Innovation Network工作人员崔馨元与我们分享：
“我和我们社区的许多人一样，为自己的中国血统感到自豪。我们中国人和其他亚裔不是病毒。每个人都有戴口罩来保护自己和他人的权利。我们社区成员遭受到的暴力、言语攻击、种族定性和歧视必须结束制止。我们不希望任何少数族裔的社区成员再遭受任何痛苦。”
这些少数族裔的社区成员在当前疫情期间被进一步边缘化。我们的兄弟姐妹们面临着双重负担，因为他们必须决定：是冒着健康和安全的风险在公共场合不戴口罩，或是冒着被某些人视为威胁的风险戴口罩。
当前形势引发了以下问题:
- 我们如何处理社会中那些意想不到的后果？
- 内隐偏见影响了服务大众的公共卫生战略，面对这些偏见，我们该采取什么行动？
作为一所社会工作学院，我们致力于承认和解决种族主义和不公平等社会现象。当我们社区的成员面临越来越高的风险时，我们不能袖手旁观。我们恳请所有社区里的人、执法安保人员和旁观者花点时间想一想，对于我们少数族裔的兄弟姐妹们来说，每天都要面对这个（戴或不戴口罩的）决定是什么感受。在你的日常生活中，你会遇到戴口罩的人，对他们来说，这可能是一个特别困难的决定，或者是那些做出了不戴口罩的艰难决定的人，在你采取行动或做出反应之前，请三思而后行。
我们致敬所有勇敢的护士、医生、社会工作者和其他人员，尽管每天都面临着种族主义的挑战，但他们仍然挺身而出向有需要的人提供照顾、支持和服务。对这些贡献，我们表示感谢。因为有你，心怀感激。让我们用这段时间来建立一个充满爱和感恩的社区。
我们需要团结一致，一起解决目前发生在我们少数族裔社区成员身上与疫情有关的骚扰和歧视问题。
真诚地，
Adrianne Fletcher, PhD
副院长：多元化和包容性
Nancy Rolock, PhD
副院长：研究和培训
Grover C. Gilmore, PhD
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel应用社会科学学院院长