As health care providers, members of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) have committed themselves to caring for every human being in need. While this week’s horrific acts committed against 8 people – 6 of whom were women of Asian descent – are still under investigation, we cannot ignore that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Asian American/Pacific Islander communities have been subjected to escalating violence, hatred and xenophobia. Indeed, the pandemic has exposed the depths of systemic racism in this country and laid bare the social and health care inequities that exist.
We forcefully reject the racism, sexism, bigotry, and hatred inflicted on Asian American/Pacific Islanders, other minority communities, and women, and vow to continue our work in addressing the disparities that exist in our field. With the guidance of our Inclusion and Diversity Committee, we will continue to work toward building an inclusive community, including education on structural racism and explicit and implicit bias. We stand by those who have been affected by racism, sexism, and violence, and we pledge to do our part to make this country a safer place for all Americans.