Monday, April 5, 2021 I Vol. 117 Iss. 26 INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM What’s inside Opinions Culture Sports The editorial board Discover different The athletic department lays out what the SA’s sports communities to named the new women’s new leaders should join outside of Foggy basketball head coach last prioritize. Bottom. week. Page 5 Page 6 Page 7

Locals say Asian Americans targets of hate crimes ZACHARY BLACKBURN members of reporting hate STAFF WRITER bias incidents and crimes,” the spokesperson said in an Local leaders said hate email. crimes against Asian Ameri- Officers recorded 29 hate cans and Pacific Islanders in crimes based on ethnic- D.C. have made those com- ity and 32 based on race last munity members feel target- year, according to MPD data. ed since the outbreak of the The department counted 38 COVID-19 pandemic. hate crimes based on sexual The Metropolitan Police orientation, 27 based on gen- Department recorded 132 der identity, six based on hate crimes in D.C. last year, political affiliation and one about one-third of which based on religion. were reported in MPD’s sec- MPD’s website states a ond district, which encom- hate crime is “motivated passes . Local by prejudice,” which could leaders said these incidents be based on race, religion, have caused emotional harm gender, age or several other to the Asian American and statuses. Defendants of hate Pacific Islander communi- crimes face a 50 percent lon- ties, and city officials need ger prison sentence than FILE PHOTO BY SOPHIA YOUNG | CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR to take legislative action to “the maximum term for the Mark Diaz, the chief financial officer, said that once administrators made decisions to introduce financial cuts as a result of the pandemic, combat hate crimes. underlying crime” they com- their intent moving forward has been to reverse those decisions, financial conditions permitting. An MPD spokesperson mitted, the website states. said the department’s Special The spokesperson said Liaison Branch, a unit that the department has taken partners with “historically steps to address a nation- Officials continue loosening underserved communities,” wide increase in hate crimes, has organized community working to raise awareness meetings and daily visits to and increase reporting. They budget restrictions Asian-owned businesses fol- said all officers underwent ZACH SCHONFELD rary measures that we had think of that,’ and then with GW’s finances, even lowing last month’s shooting training to better identify NEWS EDITOR to take through the past we have bad news, and so as they hope for students in Atlanta that killed eight hate crimes in 2015 and said difficult year,” LeBlanc on,” he said. “We’re very to return to campus this people, six of whom were the training has heightened Officials are continuing said in a joint interview careful to understand our fall because of shifting women of Asian descent. officers’ awareness of poten- to roll back budget cuts im- with Diaz and Blake. future revenue and expen- markets and enrollments. The spokesperson said tial incidents. plemented last year to miti- The cuts were imple- ditures and to make sure Diaz said officials plan officers have worked with Reported hate crimes gate the COVID-19 pan- mented alongside a sus- that we could do this in a to submit a budget propos- the Mayor’s Office of Asian have surged in D.C. over demic’s financial impacts. pension of most capital fiscally sustainable way.” al for the next fiscal year and Pacific Islander Affairs the past several years, ris- Administrators an- projects, a pay cut for top LeBlanc said he sees to the Board of Trustees in to engage in community ing from 66 in 2015 to 203 nounced last week that administrators and nearly light at the end of the tun- advance of their May meet- walk-throughs and business in 2019 before dipping dur- they will resume employee 400 staff layoffs. The re- n