BPALC, ASU hold “Binghamton Stop Asian Hate Crimes” rally
Gabby Banaag/Contributing Photographer
he Chinese American Student Union was one of over 40 student organizations that expressed solidarity with Binghamton Pan Asian Leaders Council (BPALC) and the Asian Student Union (ASU) during Saturday’s rally.
Participants voiced support for Asian American community, called for effective response from administration
April 7, 2021
Over the past few weeks, individuals across the country have been mobilizing in solidarity after a year of heightened anti-Asian violence exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic — and the Binghamton University community is no different.
At noon on Saturday, over 500 people gathered at the Peace Quad, the center of the BU campus, to attend a rally and march organized by the Binghamton Pan Asian Leaders Council (BPALC) and the Asian Student Union (ASU). The rally, titled “Binghamton Stop Asian Hate Crimes Rally,” began with a number of scheduled speakers that reflected on the Asian American experience. Speakers included a mix of students, faculty and notable alumni, such as John Liu, ‘89, New York state senator and founder of ASU, and Aviva Friedman, ‘14, councilwoman of Binghamton’s fourth district. Organizers honored the lives lost in the recent Atlanta mass shooting, which claimed the lives of eight people, including six Asian women, with a moment of silence.