ASV has no tolerance for hate or racism

Our Society has had a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. This commitment is reflected clearly by the diversity of our leadership - officers, councilors, and committee chairs. A central tenet of our Society has been:

ASV is committed to maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. ASV will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind at ASV-sponsored or associated events.

You read this each year on the rotating slides during our annual meeting. No one should live in fear because of the color of their skin, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion. The deeply rooted problems of racial/gender inequality and structural racism in America have come again to the fore with the wrongful and violent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd and, most recently, the deaths of eight people in Atlanta, including six women of Asian descent. These crimes reflect the depth of a systemic problem present in America. Bias-motivated crimes have increased for the first time in a decade in the US and crimes against people of Asian descent have increased a staggering 150% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ASV condemns and will have no tolerance for any manifestation of hate or racism. We stand with and value our colleagues and friends of black, brown, or Asian descent as well as those from other minoritized communities, including LGBTQ and immigrant communities.

See asv.org/governance for the American Society for Virology Anti-discrimination and Anti-harassment Policy.

ASV Executive Committee
Craig Cameron, President
Kristen Bernard, Past-President
Felicia Goodrum, President Elect
Katherine R. Spindler, Secretary-Treasurer
Hector Aguilar-Carreno, Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Updated March 21, 2021