Outpouring Support for Asian American Community
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 128 YEARS OF SERVING UNC STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY VOLUME 129, ISSUE 6 TITLE IX ‘This is what community is supposed to be’ Preventing gendered violence on campus UNC searches for new leadership to address Title IX issues By Anna Neil Assistant University Editor [email protected] After 3 1/2 years in her position as the director of Title IX compliance/ Title IX coordinator at UNC, Adrienne Allison will be stepping away from the role. While conducting the search for Allison’s replacement, the University also looks to fill the new position of senior prevention strategy officer. Expansion of leadership to address Title IX is not unfamiliar. In 2013, the University appointed DTH/CALLI WESTRA Howard Kallem, Allison’s Local residents honor the victims of the Atlanta shooting during a gathering of solidarity on Franklin St organized by the Chinese American Friendship predecessor, as the Title IX Association and North Carolina Asian Americans Together on March 21, 2021. The shootings came in the wake of a recent rise in anti-Asian American violence. coordinator, under the leadership of then-Chancellor Carol Folt. At the same time, UNC hired an additional Outpouring support for Asian American community Title IX investigator, deputy Title IX coordinator and a communications By Praveena Somasundaram Stop AAPI Hate, an initiative that tracks and night after the Atlanta shootings, March 17, NCAAT position for the office. Audience Engagement Editor responds to anti-Asian incidents, counted nearly 3,800 and UNC’s Asian American Center co-hosted a Here’s how UNC’s leadership of [email protected] incidents between March 2020 and February 2021. virtual vigil, amassing nearly 300 attendees. its efforts to prevent interpersonal In the wake of these incidents over the past year, Chapel Hill Town Council member Hongbin violence will change in the future. When Tiffany Tan spoke on the steps of Peace and now the Atlanta shootings, Asian American Gu attended the gathering, which was organized and Justice Plaza Sunday, she thought of her community members across North Carolina have by NCAAT and the North Carolina Chinese Allison steps away mother and grandmother. been gathering to grieve, honor the victims and American Friendship Association, on Sunday. Tan’s mother, 54-year-old Chapel Hill resident support one another. “This is what community is supposed to be,” she Allison served as the Title IX Winnie Tong, was in the crowd, listening as When Tan found out about Sunday’s gathering, said. “I’m just very proud of our Town of Chapel associate coordinator at UNC her daughter spoke of solidarity with the Asian the UNC-Greensboro first year knew she wanted Hill, the Town of Carrboro, Orange County, before transitioning to her position American community. to be there. everyone just coming together and trying to take as director of Title IX compliance/ Dozens of community members gathered on the “Especially as an Asian American, it really pains a clear stance and send the message that this is not Title IX coordinator. plaza to honor the victims of the recent shootings at me that if my grandma walked down the street, tolerable in our community.” “It has been a privilege to work Atlanta-area spas. They held signs that read “Stop she might be pushed over,” Tan said. Gu said she has heard many accounts of anti- with the incredibly committed Asian hate” and “Asian is not a virus, racism is.” Asian discrimination. Asian American nurses have team of staff and campus partners Six of the eight victims in the March 16 Atlanta- ‘We will never let this happen’ told her that their services have been rejected who respond to reports of sexual area shootings were women of Asian descent. The by patients and their families. Asian American misconduct and interpersonal suspect is a white man. Ricky Leung, senior director of programs for children told her that they’re shunned by other kids violence with compassion, respect Anti-Asian attacks have been on the rise since North Carolina Asian Americans Together, said on the playground, even though they wear masks. and urgency,” Allison said in a the beginning of the pandemic, fueled by political he felt grief, frustration and heartbreak upon “I think all of these things that happened just statement from Media Relations. figures like former president Donald Trump, who realizing how targeted the Atlanta shootings were, accumulated over the past year,” Gu said. During her work with Title IX used terms like “Chinese virus” and “Kung flu” to particularly toward Asian women. at UNC, Allison said the University describe COVID-19. But Leung also knew there was work to do. The SEE SOLIDARITY, PAGE 12 enhanced its response system to sexual misconduct and interpersonal violence, citing: COVID!19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION The expansion of the report and response coordinators team The development of online Pop-up sites work to vaccinate underserved populatons reporting methods The maintenance of discretion The Orange County Health in how to address the full scope of Sites across the county Department has utilized these sexual misconduct and harassment aim increase protection pop-up sites, also called open in the UNC community in the wake across racial barriers points of dispensing, as a way of of new Title IX regulations from the reaching historically marginalized federal government. communities. This is part of “My successor in this role will By Trevor Moore have a unique partnership with the Staff Writer North Carolina’s larger effort [email protected] to increase racial equity in the incoming senior prevention strategy distribution of vaccines. officer, and I am optimistic that the Danita Thompson, vice president North Carolina collects racial University’s increased investment of the Cedar Grove Neighborhood data on vaccinations through the in sexual and interpersonal violence Association, wasn’t expecting to COVID-19 Vaccine Management prevention will affect meaningful and know so many people by name System, which requires vaccine measurable change in our campus as they drove through the pop- providers to enter racial data to culture,” Allison said in the statement. up vaccination site at their local receive shipments. To ensure a seamless transition, community center. North Carolina vaccination data Allison will remain in her role until a The purpose of this event was to show that statewide, 16.7 percent of new director is hired, Elizabeth Hall, reach out to the Black and Latinx the population who have received a interim associate vice chancellor for communities in the area, Thompson vaccination are Black, compared to DTH/MORGAN PIROZZI Equal Opportunity and Compliance, said. The center had 400 spots 23.1 percent of the total population. High school junior and Apex resident Julia Husbands receives the first dose said in a statement. available, but within one day of In Orange County, 21 percent of of a COVID-19 vaccination at the Friday Center on Monday, March 22, 2021. announcing the event, they received the population who have received Senior prevention strategy officer more calls than spots available. their vaccine are Black, though an vaccine supplies to local providers Kristin Prelipp, communications “The people felt comfortable estimated 11.8 percent of the total every week, a certain number are manager for the Orange County In addition to a new Title IX because they had a face from the population was Black in 2019. set aside for events that focus on community,” Thompson said. When North Carolina sends underserved communities. SEE EQUITY, PAGE 13 SEE A CHANGE, PAGE 4 If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself. MINDY KALING 2 Wednesday, March 24, 2021 News The Daily Tar Heel The Daily Tar Heel Established 1893 EIC candidate prioritizes diversity and engagement 128 years of editorial freedom Check out Praveena front-page stories. She also works for ANNA POGARCIC the DTH’s 1893 Brand Studio, which EDITOR#IN#CHIEF Somasundaram’s she said has given her a fresh, crucial EDITOR$DAILYTARHEEL.COM platform for the DTH view of how the newsroom runs and BRANDON STANDLEY ways to keep it afloat. EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR By Sonia Rao “I’ve worn a lot of hats now, which MANAGING.EDITOR$DAILYTARHEEL.COM City & State Editor I really like because I feel like I’ve [email protected] gotten to know the paper really well WILL MELFI that way,” she said. DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Praveena Somasundaram Cheryl Hatch was Somasundaram’s DIGITAL$DAILYTARHEEL.COM didn’t come to UNC intending to advisor when, in high school, she MAEVE SHEEHEY be a journalist. worked as features editor of The DIRECTOR OF ENTERPRISE Although the Morehead-Cain Guilfordian through the Early College ENTERPRISE$DAILYTARHEEL.COM scholar arrived with more journalism at Guilford program. Hatch also MADDIE ELLIS experience than the average first-year mentored Somasundaram when she UNIVERSITY EDITOR – including editing experience at a became the youngest person to ever UNIVERSITY$DAILYTARHEEL.COM college newspaper and time reporting receive the Pulitzer Center’s Campus SONIA RAO in India through the Pulitzer Center – Consortium fellowship. CITY & STATE EDITOR she declared a chemistry major. “She’s so persistent and tenacious,” CITY$DAILYTARHEEL.COM It was through reporting and Hatch said. “But again, totally sweet, editing for The Daily Tar Heel that NATHAN WESLEY empathetic and gently quiet, you she realized she wanted to pursue a ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR know, she’s there. And she gets it done.” career in journalism. ARTS$DAILYTARHEEL.COM When she was a first year, An emphasis on diversity and ZACHARY CRAIN Somasundaram said her editors community engagement SPORTS EDITOR would joke about the DTH DTH/MORGAN PIROZZI SPORTS$DAILYTARHEEL.COM eventually stealing her away from a Somasundaram would be the development course for DTH students events and incorporating focus PAIGE MASTEN future career as a doctor.