Hope, dread, and fear were emotions felt by students and faculty following news of the Monterey Park attack that occurred on Saturday Jan. 21, when a gunman stormed into a dance studio and took the lives of 11 people. A similar shooting happened two days later on Monday Jan. 23 in Half Moon Bay. Both shootings targeted the Asian community.
In a statement released to Sonoma State University, President Mike Lee said, “Despite its horrific repetition, this level of violence is senseless and insensibly devastating to the safety we should all be able to claim. ” He also stressed the importance of holding space for members of the community who wish to come together.
Brave Space Gatherings were held on Tues. Jan. 24 and Wed. Jan. 25 at the HUB, Student Center. The event was hosted by the Asian Pacific Islander American Faculty and Staff Association alongside the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
These gatherings allowed for students and faculty to express their concerns and fears about the recent shootings, but also their support for the community.
Jerlena Griffin-Desta, chief of staff and vice president for Strategic Initiatives and Diversity, said, “When we are hurt and confused about everything happening to us, it is important to be able to come together and listen to each other and share. With the uptick of Anti-Asian hate post-quarantine, it feels heavy. It feels frustrating.”
According to an article by NPR, there have already been more than 39 mass shootings across the country since Jan. 1. In 2022 there were a total of 647 mass shootings. It was less than the total mass shootings that happened in 2021, with 690 shootings occurring in that year. 2021 remains the deadliest year for mass shootings to date.
Investigators say that there has been no probable cause or motive for what drove the shooter to target the dance studio in Monterey Park, nor has there been connections between the shooter and the victims. As for the shooting in Half Moon Bay, the shooter was prompted by a 100 dollar repair bill.
Alan Herbert, a first year business major at Sonoma State University, said that shootings have become too prevalent in the United States for him to be surprised anymore. Herbert stated that hearing the news about Monterey Park has made him “numb” and “disappointed.”
Alvin Nguyen, a director of the Transfer Center, shared the same sentiment. He said that when he learned that the shooter was Vietnamese, it added a whole new level of pain. “It really hit home and added a whole other level because of my Vietnamese-American background. It hit differently. I appreciated the check-in and being able to be in a space where we can talk about it.”
Katherine Lee, assistant professor of American Multicultural Studies and Charlene Tung, professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, expressed concern about not being able to open up and talk about violence surrounding the community. Tung said, “ It doesn’t surprise me; nobody wants to talk about fear and violence. I wasn’t even ready to address it in class today. So I appreciate the space so we can have these conversations.”
Ultimately, professors and faculty alike agree that it is important to check in and check up on other members of the community who are having a hard time throughout this period of violence.
“At the end of the day we’ll log off and continue on, but it’s so important to reach out and check in,” added Griffin-Desta. “Check in on our students, on our staff, and our faculty.”
