Dear Acknowledge Alliance Family,
We are saddened and outraged by the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes that have affected the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, both locally and nationwide. Since COVID-19 began to spread, many in the AAPI community have been victims of racist comments, bullying, and violent attacks. Acknowledge Alliance stands with the victims of these crimes and their families against anti-Asian violence and racism. We are committed to racial equity in all of our services.
Anti-Asian hate crimes have increased 1900% in New York City in the last year. More than 2,808 anti-Asian violence incidents have been reported across the United States since March 2020, and over 700 of these occurred in the Bay Area. In recent weeks, there have been a slew of violent attacks targeting elderly individuals in our local community. In San Francisco, an 84-year-old Thai man, Vicha Ratanapakdee, was attacked while walking around his neighborhood and died from his injuries. In San Jose, a 64-year-old Vietnamese woman was robbed in broad daylight ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations. Many of the violent crimes towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders go unreported and do not make headlines.
Because our values include building healthy school communities, we recognize that systemic racism is the root of many unsafe environments for the students and educators we serve. Close to 82% of Asian youth reported being bullied or harassed in 2020. One way to condemn anti-Asian racism and violence is to amplify the voices of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and provide room for them to share their experiences. We understand the importance of acknowledging and listening to those who have been marginalized and silenced. We will continue creating safe places for our community’s youth and educators to receive this crucial support through access to our mental health services, social emotional learning, resilience groups, and trauma-informed psychotherapy.
As the author Coshandra Dillard noted in the article, Speaking Up Against Racism Around the New Coronavirus, “The spread of the coronavirus has become racialized, so it’s critical that educators understand the historical context and confront racist tropes and xenophobia from students and colleagues.” Resources to help educators and students have conversations about bias and stereotypes in a welcoming and hate-free environment are included here.
For ways to help the AAPI community fight anti-Asian racism, report hate crimes, and advance justice, please visit: Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Asian Law Caucus, API Equality NorCal.
Thank you for your support of Acknowledge Alliance’s work and for your dedication to standing in unity.
Together in community,
Sharon Navarro
Executive Director