OCA Greater Seattle Chapter Calls on Elected Leaders to Take Action with Long Term Solutions Following Rise of Anti-AAPI Hate
OCA Greater Seattle Chapter Calls on Elected Leaders to Take Action with Long Term Solutions Following Rise of Anti-AAPI Hate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2021
Contact:
Connie So, President
Email – info@ocaseattle.org
February 23, 2021 … OCA Greater Seattle, the local chapter of OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, a national membership-driven organization of community advocates dedicated toward the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), released the following statement in regards to the rise of anti-Asian violence across the country:
While hate and bias incidents against AAPIs have existed since the arrival of the first immigrants to the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has even further exposed the ugly reality that our communities have faced for generations. Across the country, AAPIs have been spit on, harassed, accused of absurd conspiracy theories, verbally and physically abused, and even murdered – all in the name of ignorance and hate. It is time for our elected leaders to stand up and speak out against the disgusting anti-Asian conspiracy theories and violence surrounding COVID-19 and to provide culturally competent support to victims of hate.
While we recognize the need for public safety, it should not come at the expense of over-policing communities – that is not the answer. As AAPIs, we understand first-hand how the overcriminalization of the justice system disproportionately impacts communities of color. We must seek alternative solutions in ensuring safety, building trust between communities, and fully resource ourselves to address the systemic issues perpetuating the cycle of violence. Such recommendations require nuance, long-term commitments, and looking at the issue with a holistic lens. We are ready to be a part of that conversation.
From March 2020 through December, Stop AAPI Hate reported 2,808 incidents against AAPIs – a figure crowdsourced and likely an undercount. In addition, according to the FBI’s Annual Hate Crime Report, there were 7,134 hate crimes in 2019 – a marked increase from the year before. In Washington state, there were 542 hate crimes – the second highest per capita in the country. The cycle of violence must end.
If you feel that you have been a victim of a bias incident or hate crime, the following are some resources that you can consider:
- If you are a victim of a hate crime, you can make a report by visiting stopaapihate.org, www.aapihatecrimes.org, and www.standagainsthatred.org.
- If you’d like to learn more about how to respond to hate crimes, see OCA’s COVID-19 Toolkit, Responding to Hate Crimes Community Action Guide, and Hate Incident Reporting website.
