Statement: Father Jenkins on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Statement: Father Jenkins on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Statement: Father Jenkins on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Published: May 01, 2021 Author: Notre Dame News Feature University Seal “As we mark the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, we have an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of the peoples and cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands to our world, and particularly to the United States. A major benefit of the growing internationalization of Notre Dame has been more study of and appreciation for these cultures on our campus, particularly through the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, the work of Notre Dame International, and an ever-growing number of students, faculty and staff who bring to us the rich heritage of Asia and the Pacific Islands. We are a stronger community because of this diversity. “As we celebrate the rich Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, however, we must also acknowledge, sadly but honestly, a history in the U.S. of discrimination against the peoples of this heritage. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the denigration of Filipinos in the early 20th century and the infamous Japanese internment camps of World War II are but a few examples. Today, xenophobic rhetoric has been on the rise, and in recent weeks we have seen the killings of six Asian women in Atlanta and four Asian men and one woman in Indianapolis. Tragically, just days ago, Shane Nguyen, a beloved member of the Vietnamese Catholic community in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was brutally murdered and dismembered. We mourn these senseless killings and we stand in solidarity with Asian and Pacific Island members of our community and our country. “We at Notre Dame must never tire of striving to deepen our appreciation of peoples of every race and ethnic heritage, celebrating their gifts and discovering the deeper humanity that binds us. We must fight against every form of bigotry and exclusion, for it is only by doing so that we can be the community and institution we aspire to be.  “We are called to fulfill the promise of this commitment every month and, indeed, every day at Notre Dame. Let us, though, make this month of May, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, a time to ensure members of these communities are fully included in the Notre Dame community. We will all be richer for it.”  Posted In: University News International Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related March 30, 2022 Notre Dame signs agreement with St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge March 22, 2022 The bonds between Notre Dame and Ukraine February 28, 2022 Notre Dame among top producers of Fulbright Program students for eighth straight year May 21, 2021 Gilman Scholarships set records for most in single year, application cycle May 13, 2021 Statement from Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., on the death of Irish studies co-founder Seamus Deane For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn