Statement of Solidarity
Following the 2016 Presidential Election, marks of hateful rhetoric has been used against Hispanics, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, LGBTQ+, women, citizens with disabilities and religious minorities. We find ourselves at a moment of significant uncertainty in this country. The Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy (HJHP) stands in solidarity with members of our diverse community and will continue to use our platform to address policy issues that our community faces and new issues as they may arise.
The election results inspired fear and anger for some and satisfaction for others. The range of reactions reflects the diverse identities, views, and political affiliations in our community; which we welcome as a nonpartisan journal. Some of the reactions following the presidential results have gone beyond the limit of freedom of speech and resulted in hate crimes that we do not condone.
Members of the Hispanic community, locally and around the country, have reported acts of hateful speech, intimidation, and harassment. The Southern Poverty center has begun to track hate crimes and groups across the nation and recently released a survey indicating that the results of the elections are having a negative impact on schools and students. We encourage anyone who is a victim of any verbal or physical attack to contact members of their local police departments and report the incident immediately. This is a critical time when the values and safety of our community are being tested.
More so than ever, this is also an opportunity for the Hispanic community to show the country and the world that we stand on moral high ground. HJHP will continue its commitment to the pursuit of knowledge with the goal of informing our communities. We encourage all members of the Hispanic community at Harvard and across the country to reaffirm its commitment to the values that have allowed our community to gain a voice over the past decade. By continuing to engage in community service and advocacy work, we will help our community thrive through this difficult time.
Most importantly we encourage everyone to take care of yourself and one another.