Violence and racism against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are deeply entrenched in the history of the United States. We stand with our staff in denouncing the recent string of murders and attacks, the latest manifestation of the longstanding history of violence and hate crimes against AAPI.
We are deeply saddened by the increased amount of anger and hostility directed against the AAPI community that has emerged during the Covid-19 outbreak and the immeasurable toll it has taken on their communities. We understand that the struggles the AAPI communities face are bound up in a global system that perpetuates violence against all communities of color, including Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples.
WHAT Do We Stand For?
We stand with organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta in calling for community-centered responses to crisis, in lieu of over-policing that so often leads to criminalization of communities of color. We are clear that the struggle for AAPI liberation is intersectional. It includes overlapping oppressions—affecting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folx, immigrants, workers, and women—all perpetuated under a system rooted in white supremacist patriarchal colonization. We stand in full solidarity with all who are exploited and oppressed under this system. This also includes white allies who understand this oppression and are actively fighting against it.
WHAT Can You Do?
We call on White and Black, Brown, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to confront anti-Asian racism within your communities. Internalized white supremacy takes many forms. Research the Asian/AAPI plight in the U.S. and worldwide so you can also be aware of its long and fraught history. Use the hashtags #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate—not #AsianLivesMatter. Co-opting the work of Black activists undermines necessary coalition building.
WHAT Are We Doing?
We will take the lead from the AAPI community in calls to action, direct actions, advocacy, and education efforts. We will acknowledge their suffering and seek their perspective to understand how they are uniquely affected by white supremacist patriarchal power structures.
We are working with our impacted staff and giving them the support they need to grieve and heal.
We commit to lift up the voices of Asian and AAPI groups who have been in the struggle for many years by aligning our charitable contributions with our Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) principles.
We commit to remaining vigilant. By intervening or documenting if we witness a hate crime or see an Asian or AAPI person in distress or danger.
As we hold each other through this period of mourning, let us also remember that in the face of violence and oppression, there has always been solidarity and resistance. Let us come together, learn from and uplift each other, and build a resilient, diverse community that includes everyone on the path to justice and liberation.
We remain committed to advancing racial equality and living a culture of inclusion. We invite you to Stand With Us to Stop Asian Hate.