There was a shooting in the Atlanta area on Wednesday, March 17 which killed 8 people, 6 of whom were Asian-American women. It was hard to write that sentence. There is a weight to violent attacks that affects everyone, but when the attacks target a specific group it adds more fear and anxiety to that community. OIS is particularly concerned about the rising reports of bias against Asians and Asian-Americans, whether they are verbal or physical, and we recognize the additional burden and fear in a time that is already overwhelmed with both.
We work closely with our international community - we care about you and your experience in the U.S. Everyone in OIS has chosen this career because we want to help you make the most of your time at Pitt, in Pittsburgh, and in the U.S. We educate you on how to maintain status and what your employment opportunities, we present information about American culture to help you understand your neighbors and peers, and we organize events to learn from and socialize with you and your families and your (future) friends. We love working with you and for you!
We are here to support you however we can. We will continue to offer all of our services, but we also understand that may not be enough. You might need more, your family might need more, and you all deserve to feel safe here. In order to help you, we have made a list below of different services and organizations that you may find helpful. In addition, we will continue to host our weekly OIS Coffee Hours where you can come and talk about your concerns, and you can feel free to reach out to us with your questions.
Please know that you are an invaluable part of our community. Not just at Pitt, but you are essential in Pittsburgh and the United States. Your engagement in our campus, neighborhoods, and country makes everyone stronger, more knowledgeable, more empathic, and better people. You chose to come here to learn about our culture and share yourself. We are so thankful that you did!
Services and Organizations:
- Pitt Counseling Center - for Pitt Students
- Life Solutions - for Pitt scholars and employees
- Pitt Police - if you experience any threatened or realized verbal or physical attack
- Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – if you need to report bias incidents
- Asian Studies Center
- Global Pittsburgh
- International Women's Association of Pittsburgh
If there are any resources that you have found helpful that we have not shared on this list, please email Kati Von Lehman so they can be reviewed to add above.