PRESS RELEASE

Here, You Will Find Our Current And Past News Releases And Information About Upcoming Events.

Contact Information

Daniel Oliver
202-774-8740
doliver@nationalace.org

 

APIA Scholars: Educate. Elevate. Empower.

 

 

 

 

Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities Condemn Violence and Racial Bias During Pandemic

This national survey will provide important data for long-term planning to understand where resources are needed most in the AAPI small business community

 

Washington, DC (February 19, 2021)

The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened public concerns and fears nationwide, leading to a rise in acts of hatred, bias, discrimination, and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials have documented this rise in bias, including an NYPD report citing a 1,900 percent in-crease in hate crimes as a direct result of anti-AAPI sentiments.

An Ipsos survey conducted for the Center for Public Integrity last April indicated that one-third of respondents witnessed someone blaming Asians for the coronavirus epidemic. Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) captured several detailed stories about AAPIs who witnessed, endured, or were told about incidents of violence, hatred, bias, and discrimination on its website www.standagainsthatred.org. The Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON) and Chinese For Affirmative Action (CAA), through their website, “Stop AAPI Hate,” recorded more than 2,800 incidents of anti-AAPI bias from March 2020 to December 31, 2020.

The aforementioned statistics only cover incidents that are reported, with many not being documented. President Joe Biden acknowledged and denounced the rise in anti-AAPI bias in a Presidential memorandum. Incidents of racism, including acts of violence, hatred, bias, profiling, and discrimination are unacceptable in all forms, yet continue to rise throughout the country. AAPI professionals, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and students have also faced a rise in incidents of hated, bias, bullying and violence. National ACE and APIA Scholars formally ask the Biden-Harris Administration to appoint a special task force to acquire data and information on the ex-tent of anti-AAPI incidents that will ultimately lead to actionable solutions.

“The Asian American community has reached a crisis point that cannot be ignored,” Rep. Judy Chu said in a Tri-Caucus joint press conference with Rep. Grace Meng, Rep. Andy Kim, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday, February 19. “What started as dirty looks and verbal assault has escalated to physical attacks and violence against innocent Asian Americans,” said Rep. Judy Chu.

“Many AAPI community feel threatened by incidence of violence and racism. We have to be united, speaking out and standing with each other. National ACE calls on its partners to join us in responding to the ongoing xenophobia and bullying against AAPI by helping to educate employees, customers and the public and to intervene to halt these deplorable acts,” said Chiling Tong, President & CEO of National ACE.

“APIA Scholars strongly condemns the rise in hate crimes we have seen in our country over the past several months. We stand with others in the APIA community to use our voices to ensure our collective cultures and values are elevated, understood, and appreciated. APIA Scholars is committed to addressing these incidents, encourages reporting of such acts, and is working toward a national response to ensure actionable steps are taken to stop this insurgence of hate and bigotry,” said Dr. Noel S. Harmon, President & Executive Director of APIA Scholars.

The Board of Directors of the National ACE and APIA Scholars – jointly and unanimously – passed the resolution to condemn the rise in anti-AAPI bias, violence and hatred and seeking an end to racially charged language that inappropriately targets and scapegoats AAPIs for the pandemic.

The National ACE and APIA Scholars seek the support, allyship, and advocacy of other national and regional organizations to address all forms of bias and racism that disproportionately and negatively impact diverse communities.

The National ACE and AAPI Scholars commend the Biden-Harris Administration for asking the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to monitor reports of anti-AAPI bias and compile important data to address anti-AAPI sentiments and asks the Biden-Harris Administration to appoint a special task force to acquire data and information on the extent of anti-AAPI incidents that will ultimately lead to actionable solutions.

For more information, contact Katrina Breese at kbreese@apiascholars.org.


ABOUT ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (NATIONAL ACE)

The Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (National ACE) represents the needs, interests, and aspirations of 2.2 million business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage.

For more information, please visit www.nationalace.org.

ABOUT APIA (ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN) SCHOLARS

Founded in 2003, APIA Scholars elevates the Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) community by providing APIA students with access to higher education and resources that cultivate their academic, personal and professional success regardless of their ethnicity, national origin or financial means. As the nation’s largest educational research, policy, and scholarship organization devoted to serving the scholastic needs of APIA students and educators, APIA Scholars supports a community that spans 11 different time zones, more than 300 languages, and who celebrate the cultures of 48 distinct ethnicities.

For more information, please visit www.apiascholars.org.