{"id":34315,"date":"2021-04-22T11:23:07","date_gmt":"2021-04-22T18:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=34315"},"modified":"2021-04-22T11:23:07","modified_gmt":"2021-04-22T18:23:07","slug":"leading-organizations-from-diverse-communities-unite-and-call-for-action-to-end-anti-asian-hate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=34315","title":{"rendered":"LEADING ORGANIZATIONS FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES UNITE AND CALL FOR ACTION TO END ANTI-ASIAN HATE"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Coalition of Organizations to Have Ongoing Dialogue to Help Address Challenges Affecting the AAPI Community<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nNew York, NY (April 22, 2021)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 In response to the historic increases in anti-Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hatred, violence, and xenophobia, today leading organizations from diverse communities across the United States are calling for action and change.<\/p>\n

Like many Americans, the AAPI community has faced increased unemployment, food and housing insecurity, shuttering of local small businesses, and safety risks to frontline and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hate and violence, fueled by fear and misinformation, have made an already difficult period even harder. In the past year alone, more than 3,800 incidents of violence and hatred have been reported against the AAPI community.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s call for action is being organized by Committee of 100, a nonprofit organization that works to ensure the full inclusion and participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life.<\/p>\n

“We at the Committee of 100 are extremely saddened by the increased attacks against Chinese Americans and the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Chinese Americans are Americans. Period. The violence and rhetoric now targeting our communities across the U.S. is horrific, sad, and unacceptable,\u201d said Gary Locke, Chairman-Elect of Committee of 100. \u201cFor centuries now, the Chinese American and AAPI community continue to be seen as perpetual foreigners, strangers in our own homeland \u2013 America. We are extremely thankful to all of the AAPI and non-AAPI organizations for standing with us as we collectively work towards concrete actions that will address the roots of the violence and xenophobia directed at the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Hate has no place in our society.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rise in anti-Asian hate and violence is horrific and unacceptable. Each day another incident devastates America. In January, President Biden issued a presidential memorandum condemning racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against the 21 million AAPIs in the U.S. But we need action. United in the same spirit and mission, the 1990 Institute, American Jewish Committee (AJC), Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), Committee of 100, Council of Korean Americans, NAACP, National Asian\/Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, National Urban League, and Partnership With Native Americans are calling for concrete action. The organizations all share common concerns and experiences around racism, violence, discrimination, and marginalization.<\/p>\n

We, the undersigned organizations call for law enforcement, elected officials, and government agencies to ensure a holistic response to the Anti-Asian hate problem, and recognize the urgent need to consider and act upon the following recommendations:<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
  1. We call on all elected officials \u2013 including governors, mayors, and members of Congress \u2013 to forcefully denounce all acts of anti-Asian American racism and bigotry.<\/li>\n
  2. We call on the new U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Justice to set up a task force to specifically investigate and combat increased violence directed towards the AAPI community.<\/li>\n
  3. We call on the Department of Justice to revisit its China Initiative and examine whether the program has caused the spike in increased prosecution of innocent Chinese American scientists.<\/li>\n
  4. We call for the federal government to provide funding to state and local law enforcement agencies for education, training, and community outreach on bias incidents and crimes.<\/li>\n
  5. We call on the federal government to combat misinformation and online extremism which has led to the increase in AAPI hate.<\/li>\n
  6. We call on all law enforcement agencies to prioritize their response to criminal acts of bigotry, racism, and hate inflicted on the AAPI community as well as other communities of color, whether verbal, physical, or psychological.<\/li>\n
  7. We call on all elected officials and lawmakers to ensure survivors of hate crimes have access to support services in languages used by their local communities.<\/li>\n
  8. We call for the investigation and removal if warranted, of any public official, government employee, or law enforcement officer found to be stoking hate or discriminating against people of AAPI descent.<\/li>\n
  9. We call on senior executives and those in leadership positions to ensure that the AAPI community has a voice at the table, including in the boardroom.<\/li>\n
  10. We call on all concerned groups across all ethnicities to unite, explore concrete partnerships, and collaborate to bring forth a safer, better, and more ideal America.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    The undersigned organizations have also agreed to meet on a quarterly basis to continue discussions via\u00a0joint programs, activities, and advocacy to combat anti-AAPI hate.<\/p>\n

    Calling for Action<\/strong>
    \n\u201cWe call on everyone to join our vision for a positive environment for Asians in America and for U.S. relations with China,\u201d said Dan Chao, Chairman of the Board,\u00a01990 Institute<\/strong>. \u201cThe 1990 Institute provides information that affects the lives of Asian Americans, and indeed all Americans, to provoke thought on topical issues, including how the perceptions of China and the contributions of Asian Americans affect all Americans. Education leads to understanding and understanding leads to change.\u00a0The 1990 Institute\u00a0stands in solidarity with everyone\u00a0standing up for our country’s unity and humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe scourge of assaults on Asian Americans is horrific,\u201d said David Harris, CEO,\u00a0American Jewish Committee<\/strong>\u00a0(AJC). \u201cAs American Jews who also have painfully experienced the fear and tragedy of hate, we join with our partners in the Asian American community to call on leaders to take concrete measures to address the violence. Silence is unacceptable. Unity in combating hate is absolutely imperative.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cThere\u2019s great strength in numbers, which is why it is so important for all Americans to join together with the AAPI community in speaking out against this scourge of hatred, and prejudice,\u201d said Jonathan A. Greenblatt,\u00a0ADL\u00a0<\/strong>CEO and National Director. \u201cToday, we issue a challenge to our elected, law enforcement, and civic leaders to do more. Only through coordinated action can we prevent further acts of bias-motivated violence and hurtful scapegoating.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cAPAPA strongly supports Committee of 100\u2019s initiative to form a coalition across all communities in an effort to help address the challenges in the AAPI community,\u201d said Ken Fong, Chair,\u00a0APAPA<\/strong>. \u201cThe United States is at our greatest when we value every citizen regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. If we are to lead the world, we must cherish people from all over the world!\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cAs a proud American organization dedicated to the advancement and inclusion of 5 million Chinese Americans across all aspects of American life, Committee of 100 has spoken out against discrimination and racism for more than 30 years,\u201d said Zheng Yu Huang, President of Committee of 100. \u201cThis coalition across communities showcases the strength and impact we together possess. We thank all of the AAPI and non-AAPI organizations for joining with\u00a0Committee of 100<\/strong>\u00a0to address racism, discrimination, and violence against the AAPI community. Collectively, we can work to put these horrific incidents in the past and move forward as one nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cRacism, xenophobia, and discrimination impact all of our minority communities and are issues\u00a0we must band together to defeat. We are proud to stand with our fellow national\u00a0organizations representing\u00a0AAPI, Black, Jewish, Latinx, and\u00a0other communities\u00a0to fight for the protection and respect of all Americans,\u201d said Abraham Kim, Ph.D., Executive Director,\u00a0Council of Korean Americans<\/strong>. \u201cIn light of the\u00a0horrific rise\u00a0in hate incidents and violence against the AAPI community, we\u00a0challenge\u00a0our government officials, law enforcement agencies, business executives, and civic leaders to\u00a0act immediately, with courage and conviction,\u00a0to ensure the safety and security of\u00a0this community.\u201d<\/p>\n

    “We all have a responsibility to wake up each day and denounce hate in all forms and all communities,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the\u00a0NAACP<\/strong>. “As a human race, we do not exist in a vacuum and we cannot allow our normalcy to be that of violent attacks. We are committed to working together to push back against those that seek to harm.”<\/p>\n

    \u201cDuring these difficult times, anti-Asian racism and violence are further damaging the small business community amidst this global pandemic. Now more than ever, we all have to be united, speaking out and standing together,\u201d said Chiling Tong, Chief Executive Officer & President of the\u00a0National Asian\/Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship<\/strong>\u00a0(National ACE). \u201cWe seek the support, allyship, and advocacy of other national organizations and large corporations to take action by addressing all forms of bias and racism that disproportionately and negatively impact our diverse communities. AAPI small businesses are not able to operate safely and need assistance now.\u00a0National ACE calls on its partners to join in responding to the ongoing violence against the AAPI small business community by helping to educate employees, customers, and the public to intervene to halt these deplorable acts. We are proud and are #AAPISTRONG.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cAfter four years of policy and rhetoric that fanned the flames of bigotry and inspired acts of violence against communities of color, the pandemic exposed America\u2019s racial fault lines and forced the nation to confront its legacy of white supremacy,\u201d said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO,\u00a0National Urban League.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe National Urban League stands in solidarity with our Asian-American brothers and sisters and urges the nation to seize the opportunity to create lasting change by emerging from this crisis a stronger nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cAs our nation continues to reckon with the legacy and present-day manifestations of systemic racism, we must work together to advance justice and foster a society that promotes equality, opportunity, and freedom from racial hate and violence,\u201d stated Arturo Vargas, CEO,\u00a0NALEO Educational Fund<\/strong>. \u201cThe rise in violence and discrimination targeting the AAPI community that we are witnessing are horrifying and antithetical to the ideals we espouse as a nation that proclaims to value liberty, diversity, and inclusion. We must take a stand against this kind of hatred and xenophobia and adopt common-sense standards of anti-racism that promote equal justice and freedom from discrimination of any kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cPWNA respects and honors the diverse culture, history, and concerns of all communities in America. As a Native American-serving organization, we know firsthand how U.S. systems and policies have created social injustice and disenfranchisement for those most vulnerable,\u201d said Christina Kazhe, Chairman of the Board,\u00a0Partnership With Native Americans<\/strong>. \u201cAs a nation, we\u2019ve seen an overwhelming rise in hate crimes directed at Asian Americans since the onset of COVID-19. PWNA denounces all forms of racism against all populations who endure inequities on account of their race or ethnicity. We commend all those who are speaking up and championing hope for a brighter future.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Stay Connected & Engaged<\/strong>
    \nChinese Americans and the broader AAPI community have made tremendous contributions to the fabric of American life for centuries. In February, the Economist Intelligence Unit released a report, commissioned by Committee of 100 and sponsored in part by Citi Private Bank, that looked at 175-years of Chinese American contributions. \u201cFrom Foundations to Frontiers\u201d can be downloaded for free at\u00a0https:\/\/bit.ly\/<\/wbr>chineseamericanstories<\/a>.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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