Response to Violence Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Dear Members of the American Physiological Society (APS) Community:

The past year has brought unprecedented challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. As individuals and nations struggled to cope, hateful rhetoric was used to place blame on Asian nations for the spread of a virus that knows no borders. The use of discriminatory language has undoubtedly contributed to the current environment of violence occurring against people of Asian descent. Words matter—and the use of hateful language should be condemned as part of a pattern of racism that has no place in a peaceful society.

In the wake of the recent vicious and unprovoked crimes across the nation against members of the Asian community, APS reaffirms its commitment to creating an environment where individuals feel safe, accepted and respected.

The Society values and embraces diversity and condemns violence and discriminatory acts of all kinds. We are committed to supporting increased diversity, equity and inclusion within the science community, our membership and staff. We believe science is a fundamentally global endeavor requiring the full participation of people from all cultures. We value and appreciate the power of international scientific collaboration in the research, development and application of treatments, vaccines and other strategies.

As the nation mourns and seeks to heal, APS will continue to actively apply our core values and policies to support the global community.

Sincerely,
Scott Steen, CAE, FASAE
APS Executive Director