AACN Statement Condemning Violence Against the Asian and Asian-American Community

With a dramatic rise in violence against members of the Asian-American community, highlighted by the recent killings in Atlanta, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) condemns racism and hatred in all forms and calls on the academic nursing community to be leaders in the fight to uphold social justice and safeguard human dignity. 

Acts of violence and discrimination violate the core ethical standards we hold as nurses to embrace beneficence and justice, and to do no harm. AACN believes that it is imperative for academic nursing to advance human rights and reduce health inequities by developing a nursing workforce that is compassionate and respectful of the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.

AACN supports the Administration’s call for Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, which states that “advancing inclusion and belonging for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities is critical to guaranteeing the safety and security of the American people.”

From the classroom to the clinical site and in all settings in which nurse educators lead, we must denounce racial injustice and serve as role models on how to treat others with respect and compassion. We stand with our colleagues across the nation—with more than 600,000 faculty members, staff, and students in schools of nursing—in calling for an end to the violence that threatens the health and well-being of the Asian-American community.    

Susan Bakewell-Sachs, PhD, RN, FAAN         
Chair, Board of Directors 


 
 
Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN 
President and Chief Executive Officer