The Botanical Society of America offers its sincere condolences to members of the Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The recent murders in Atlanta, including the killing of six Asian-American women, are the most recent in a pattern of discrimination across the United States extending back to the nineteenth century against the Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, and are part of a long and ongoing history of discrimination against this and other marginalized groups in this country. We stand in solidarity with the AAPI community and share your outrage, horror and hurt.   

As a scientific society, we condemn these and all discriminatory acts based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation, immigrant status or any intersection of these identities.  Our hearts and minds are with the families of the victims and with the communities impacted.  We call on our membership to support students and colleagues who may be impacted by these events, who are at risk or who may have recently experienced hate crimes, harassment or marginalizing behaviors. The Botanical Society of America reaffirms our commitment to creating a culture of justice and ensuring an environment that is welcoming to all and is free from prejudice; where each member, regardless of background, is valued and has a voice.   

If you have been affected by or witnessed any violence and/or racist acts, please know you can share your experiences, concerns and any suggestions with our leadership.  Your input is essential so that we can support all scientists and scholars, especially those marginalized or excluded from our community.  You can reach the BSA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee at diversity@botany.org or send an email to Cindi Jones, the BSA President. Additionally, this website allows individuals to report acts of hate against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities: https://stopaapihate.org.

There are many relevant resources to help educate ourselves and our communities about Anti-Asian Racism and to learn to practice impactful allyship.  Those listed below provide a good place to start, and we encourage our fellow members and scientists around the world to engage in impactful anti-racist and anti-sexist practices so that we may cultivate an inclusive society for all.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-must-confront-anti-asian-racism-in-science/

https://asianamericanstudies.cornell.edu/anti-racism-resources-aapi-community 

To provide feedback to the Society on ways we can make improvements in relation to DEI, please use this form.