The Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists (WAPA) represents anthropologists living and working across the greater D.C. region.  WAPA is one of the oldest and largest regional associations of professional anthropologists in the United States.  In the wake of the 2016 national U.S. elections, we resolve the following:

We condemn and will actively work against policies, programs, and inflammatory rhetoric that support racist, anti-immigrant, sexist, gender-biased, religious or otherwise discriminatory or divisive views;

We recognize the US. is a country of immigrants and we value and support diversity and the unique differences that we share, be it dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies; and

We condemn the use of inflammatory rhetoric and false information from the new administration and others to incite hate crimes, discrimination,  or violence towards any community, including but not limited to African Americans, LGBTQ, refugees and asylum seekers, new immigrants, women, persons with disabilities, and seniors;

We condemn and will actively work against unconstitutional policies and programs that may suppress freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble and peacefully protest;

We resolve to stand in on-going support of the pursuit of scientific inquiry into the human condition for the betterment of the communities in which we conduct our research.  We value the use of social science, empirical evidence and scholarly inquiry as the basis for illuminating, supporting, and valuing diversity.

We resolve that the Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists will stand in solidarity with anyone who feels unfairly threatened or attacked because of their beliefs, orientation, racial or ethnic background.

Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists

April 17, 2017