The dual Pandemic of Covid-19 and anti-asian hate
Ask anyone in the Asian American community. We all know someone who has been spat upon, coughed on, and called racist names. We know anti-Asian racism is real. We have felt the hate. Viral videos of slashed faces and black eyes, the thousands of hate incidents this past year -- physically and verbally violent, and then the Atlanta tragedy. Asians in America are being “othered”, blamed and ignored. For the virus, for the economy, for any unaddressed and complicated national ills or problems.
Our community has been sounding the alarm and organizing for years. Especially as we have experienced the dramatic rise in anti-Asian hate since the pandemic. The racist divisiveness has only been intensified by overtly anti-immigrant vitriol and claims that falsely tied Asians with the coronavirus, all exacerbated from on high over the past four years.
Anti Asian hate and violence have been a part of the U.S. fabric for decades and decades. Throughout history, AAPIs have been unfairly scapegoated during times of tumult and economic strife. From the mass lynchings of Chinese Americans in the 1880s to the murder of Vincent Chin in the 1980s, to now. One Nation lifts up the strength and beauty of immigrants upon which this country is built. We countered the past administration’s divisive tactics that scapegoated immigrants and singled out AAPIs. From past White House operatives Sessions and Miller, to Steve Bannon who blamed immigrants and Asians for a poor economy and lost jobs.
Immediate action and programs are called for protecting our Seniors and most vulnerable. This involves sorting through the myriad of under-resourced, reactive and scattered responses to Anti-Asian Hate. Seminal periods of tumult and progress, such as the civil rights era, taught us that careful negotiations among the myriad of perspectives in our diverse community must be addressed. Committing to addressing community safety means also addressing the long-term and complex challenge of racial unity. The vision and work is therefore both within our own community, and aims to build on a rich legacy of coalition building with communities of color to advocate for the health and safety of all.
Our movement is a coalition of more than 100 community partners across the United States.
We stand united in promoting policies that strengthen America, protect immigrant families and bring us together. We must fight for ourselves, our families, our coworkers and neighbors, our students and patients, and for the values we hold dear as Americans.