Advocating for AAPI Data Disaggregation Nationwide AAPIs have the biggest wealth gap of any ethnic group in the US. Disaggregating AAPI data is essential in helping to address the needs of underserved groups within our communities. We applaud @GovKathyHochul for signing this bill into law. https://t.co/0KZx6xg2xS— APIAVote | #StopAsianHate (@APIAVote) December 31, 2021 N.Y. enacts ‘groundbreaking’ law to change how Asian American populations are counted Gov. Kathy Hochul quietly signed a bill last week requiring state agencies to separate data among different Asian ethnic groups. State agencies in New York will now be required to break down data for individual ethnic groups under the Asian American Pacific Islander umbrella. A bill signed last week by Gov. Kathy Hochul mandates that any state department collecting information about ethnicity or ancestry will have to use different categories for each major Asian group, including the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Laotian, Cambodian, Bangladeshi and Hmong communities, which the bill names. The same will be done for individual Pacific Islander groups, including Native Hawaiians, Guamanians, Chamorros and Samoans. Civil rights organizations have advocated for such action for decades, saying there is a lack of understanding about lower-income, minority Asians whose data is often lumped together with that of higher-earning groups. Coalition for Asian American Children and Families – Victory After Over a Decade of Advocacy: Asian American Pacific Islander Community Commends NY Governor Kathy Hochul for Signing Data Disaggregation into Law: Data disaggregation is just the first step for accurate representation of Asian American, especially Southeast Asian, issues. https://t.co/nMcjkmXvni— Demand Cuomo #PardonJamesNow ! Links in bio (@MekongNYC) December 24, 2021 NBC ASIAN AMERICA: White House adds new initiative for Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian visibility – As communities slowly recover from the pandemic’s devastation, advocates hope the new initiative will help with data disaggregation and language access for federal programs. “Asians and Pacific Islanders are not a monolith. Our health data should reflect the breadth of ancestries present in our City’s API communities, so we may better understand and address health inequities.” https://www1.nyc.gov/…/dohmh-releases-api-report.page
VAYLA: Disaggregated Data Is Racial Equity VAYLA New Orleans – “Other” is Not My Identity. Disaggregated data is essential to identifying the complex needs of ALL communities, as well as providing much needed visibility to the underserved and often overlooked. We stand with you! If you stand with us too, help us reach 200 signatures by signing and sharing the petition at change.org/OtherIsNotMyIdentity: Where there is culture, there are the people it lives through, all playing their individual part in the orchestra. From Gumbo to Yakamein, brass bands to slick jazz, our very Louisianian identity has been weaved from diversity. Is there anything more Louisianian than celebrating our culture and everything Louisiana? When it comes to data collection and dissemination, Louisiana does not celebrate or acknowledge our diversity. Data is only broken down into three categories: White, Black, and Other, erasing the countless contributions of non-Black/non-White communities, as well as the needs of each of those communities. The language of “other” is a microcosm of the hierarchical narrative that reigns in our country and leaves communities more susceptible to the dehumanization and violence that disenfranchisement creates. Though often unseen and underappreciated, we all deserve to have our voices amplified among the proverbial choir. One of the most significant ways to achieve this is by capturing, processing, and using disaggregated data in our state’s policy creation and decision-making. We are not “Other,” we are contributing citizens of this melting pot state. Help us gain recognition and representation for all of our diverse citizens, sign on to and share this petition! Diversity should be celebrated—not shunned! By acknowledging all the threads that create Louisiana, we create a strong, vibrant, and economically viable state for all of us to celebrate. When researching election results using the Louisiana Secretary of State website, racial demographics are broken down into three categories: White, Black, and Other. Although White and Black people make up the majority of Louisiana residents, all of the racial groups under the umbrella term of “other” each have their own rightful place in our communities, with their own unique values and concerns derived from the upbringing their respective cultures cultivated in them. Asian Americans are one of the fastest-growing racial groups in America, and have made major contributions to the cultural ethos of Louisiana, yet are seldom considered a vital target demographic for legislative and political campaigns. Their contributions must be recognized with specific data, as well as the contributions of other non-White/non-Black racial groups. Blanketing these communities under one category perpetuates a level of ambiguity and erasure that makes tracking/analyzing their voices and concerns more difficult than that of our White and Black voters. With data comes visibility, with visibility comes resources, with resources comes influence, and with influence comes participation and inclusion. Ultimately, with data comes protection. With the rise in Asian American violence, propelled by ignorance and fear, it is now more crucial than ever that we lift up our Asian American community and provide them with the visibility and priority every community deserves as their civil right. Through action today, we may hope to prevent any future acts of hate not only for Asian Americans, but for all. To start, each group should be categorized under the same racial identity chosen in their voter registration, and the public election results should reflect a more holistic analysis of voter demographics in Louisiana. Diversity should be celebrated—not shunned! Help us gain recognition and representation for all of our diverse citizens, sign on to and share this petition! Read VAYLA’s Press Release here: https://vayla-no.org/update/aapi-rising-other-is-not-my-identity-press-release/ View this post on Instagram A post shared by VAYLA New Orleans (@vaylano)
Asian Pacific Islander Equity Budget in California NBC Asian America: ‘Historic investment’: California allocates millions to fight anti-Asian hate “The Asian Pacific Islander Equity budget, approved Monday [July 12, 2021] by Gov. Gavin Newsom, gives $156 million to community groups to tackle the root causes of racism.” “California’s new $100 billion spending bill, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday, includes a $156 million investment in noncarceral alternatives to combatting violence against Asian Americans, who make up 16 percent of the state’s population.” “Developed by the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, the Asian Pacific Islander Equity Budget allocates the money over a three-year period to a host of victim support, mental health and educational resources to tackle the root causes of anti-Asian racism. The victim-centered solutions covered by the proposal stand in contrast to the recent federal hate crimes legislation, which bolstered law enforcement response to anti-Asian violence.” “Endorsed by more than 150 Asian American groups, this plan is one of the largest commitments in the state’s history to address the needs of Asian Americans. Two-thirds of the package, around $110 million, will be distributed to community-based organizations so they can provide resources to victims of hate incidents. Other grants will cover the cost of legal, health care and mental health services, as well as outreach and public safety programs, such as civilian foot patrols to protect seniors.”
Take Action Against Anti-Asian Violence and Racism Our network partners have worked In allyship and solidarity across marginalized groups and have continued to call on community members to report hate incidents, condemn anti-AAPI and racist sentiments, attend workshops and bystander intervention trainings, and call for greater accountability and policy responses from elected officials. Community groups and activists have also provided support systems and spaces for community members to reflect in the current moment, learn more about the long history of anti-Asian violence in the United States, as well as support those who have experienced hate themselves. Here are some ways you can take action against anti-Asian violence and racism: Stop AAPI Hate has published a survey on state and local resolutions, which found that only 18 states and 49 of 3,073 (1.6%) counties have enacted resolutions in opposition to anti-Asian hate. You can use their 50-state survey to find out if your state or local representatives have stood up against hate (download it at https://bit.ly/3dzQmRl) and learn how your elected officials can take action by taking a look at their template resolution (download it at https://bit.ly/3qJygSq) Donate to the Support the AAPI Community Fund campaign! This fund aims to condemn incidents of anti-Asian violence and create lasting social change as AAPI voices are amplified and empowered while we address broader, systemic problems. With the donations received through the Fund, GoFundMe.org will issue grants to trusted AAPI organizations working to rectify the racial inequalities in our society. Other fundraisers through the website include: Fundraisers for AAPI Justice – Verified fundraisers helping those affected by violence against the AAPI community Fundraisers for AAPI Neighborhoods – Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) neighborhoods have been struggling to survive since the beginning of COVID-19. Take action to revitalize and preserve AAPI culture in your local community by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page, or by donating to the general fund supporting various AAPI organizations. Fundraisers to uplift the AAPI community – Support various AAPI efforts determined to increase awareness around inequalities, create solutions, and inspire hope within the community. Take action by donating or sharing the verified fundraisers on this page or by donating to the AAPI Community Fund, supporting various AAPI organizations. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago is offering various Bystander Intervention Trainings throughout July. To combat the current rise in harassment and discrimination and to also proactively prepare for the future increase of hate incidents, Advancing Justice | Chicago is partnering with New York-based nonprofit Hollaback! and CAIR-Chicago to plan and implement an aggressive scaling up of locally-led bystander hate incident intervention trainings for community members. Help Chinese for Affirmative Action and 150+ community-based organizations and the California API Legislative Caucus #FaceTheHate and fight for the passage of this historic proposal that would go beyond general condemnations of hate and address the structural inequities and injustices that API communities have grappled with for generations now. Together, we can pass the API Equity Budget. You can download their #FaceTheHate toolkit to get started. Watch this Facebook live event from Cia Siab, Inc where community members learned how to effectively respond as a bystander and how to form a safety plan from some of the Cia Siab, Inc. staff. Members of the community can also continue to report hate incidents through Cia Siab, Inc’s Hate Incident Form at www.ciasiabinc.org/hateincidentreport. OCA Greater Houston is also offering Bystander Intervention Training in August and September. Learn how to help people targeted by identity-based bigotry and harassment. Register today at https://houstonagainsthate.org/BIT This FREE 1.5-hour, interactive training will teach you Hollaback!’s 5D’s of bystander intervention methodology. We’ll start by talking about the types of disrespect — from microaggressions to violence — that people with marginalized identities face and the history of identity-based violence. You’ll also learn what to look for and the positive impact that bystander intervention has on individuals and communities. We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening. We’ll have time at the end for practice, and you’ll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see identity-based harassment online or in person. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Advancing Justice-Chicago (@advancingjusticechicago)
Mobilizing To Increase Community Representation and Visibility Since the 2020 election, our network partners have continued to defend and protect the right to vote, increase AAPI voter turnout and representation, and organize members of our communities to make sure policies and elected officials reflect our community concerns and conditions. Together, we can continue to speak up, inform others, and exercise our democratic rights to get represented and address issues and policies. Here are some of the campaigns our network partners are currently working on with opportunities for you to get involved and spread the word on: Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta – From canvassing to voter registration, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is out in the field putting in the work for a more equitable Georgia. If you’re interested in helping build and shift power in Georgia, come volunteer to canvas and register voters with us! Sign up at https://www.advancingjustice-atlanta.org/volunteer. To celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is fighting to protect immigrant rights and their access to essential services. Join them in the fight for language equity by signing their petition that urges policymakers to do more for our communities by providing translated materials that would create equitable access to the ballot. Sign the petition at http://bit.ly/voicesrisingcta! CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities – CAAAV is calling all Bangla, Korean, and Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin) interpreters to help them develop language justice practices! They are looking for experienced interpreters so they can continue to do the work of building a pan-Asian membership base in NYC. Interpreters are integral to their work and have ensured that their members can: engage in principled debate with one another about strategy, participate in training on racial capitalism, and play a role in coalition building across the city. Please email Alina at [email protected] with your name, fluency, and prior experience to get involved! North Carolina Asian Americans Together’s internship for Fall 2021 is currently open! NCAAT is excited to meet and work with youth who are interested and passionate about advocating for Asian American communities. Apply to join NCAAT today at ncaat.org/internships! You can also volunteer to phonebank with NCAAT during this summer. They will work with trained volunteers to help call Asian American voters removed from the 2021 NC voter files. North Carolina purged 391,000+ from the NC voter files in 2021 alone, about 4,000 of which self-identified as Asian American. This is a great opportunity to help eligible voters re-register and understand their voter status and build connections with local Asian Americans in your local community. Many NC elections are decided on razor thin margins, so truly every vote counts! Sign up at ncaat.org/phonebank! VAYLA’s petition for racial inclusion has reached over 100 signatures! “‘Other’ is Not My Identity” is a petition for inclusion, demanding state officials include data for more racial groups in voter statistics and beyond. It comes at a historical influx of xenophobia, racial hate and violence. “Other is not our identity. Data inclusion is a public health issue. Data inclusion is a community impact issue. Data inclusion is a social equity issue–we have the power to make sure we are all seen and represented,” says Jacqueline Thanh, Executive Director of VAYLA New Orleans. Disaggregated data is essential to identifying the complex needs of all communities, as well as providing much needed visibility to the underserved and often overlooked. Help spread the word by signing and sharing the petition at change.org/OtherIsNotMyIdentity. You can also volunteer with VAYLA to be a volunteer translator that supports their movement to amplify the voices of AAPI communities – Sign up easily at https://linktr.ee/vaylano! Asian American United – Asian Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing demographic in PA and yet historically under-engaged by candidates, political institutions, and our state and local governments! That’s why we’re building the first ever state-level issue and policy platform that reflects the shared values and needs of the AAPI community, from the bottom up! But we need to hear from you. Fill out the #AAPIPASurvey to let us know what matters to you: https://surveyhero.com/c/AAUsurvey View this post on Instagram A post shared by NC Asian Americans Together (@ncaatogether) View this post on Instagram A post shared by VietLead (@vietlead)
Mobilizing Against Anti-AAPI Hate and Racism As hate and discrimination against the AAPI community has dramatically risen during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our network partners have called on community members to report hate incidents, condemn anti-AAPI sentiments, and attend workshops and bystander intervention trainings. Here are some examples on how you can take action: Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago: With numerous reports of anti-Asian verbal and physical attacks and Illinois being the fourth ranked state with the highest number of reported incidents, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago and other local organizations have joined together and launched a virtual bystander intervention training program for community members to learn how to take action against hate and racism. Read more about this program here. STOP AAPI HATE: “In response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center on March 19. The center tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California and where possible throughout the United States.” Visit https://stopaapihate.org/ to report a hate incident, read their reports, find safety tips, and how you can act now to stand against anti-AAPI hate and racism today. Cia Siab Inc. created this Hate Incident Report Form, specific to the state of Wisconsin, with the purpose of giving individuals in the Hmoob community an outlet to report hate incidents in a confidential manner, while also encouraging individuals outside of the community to report any hate incidents that has occurred to them as well. Examples may include, but are not limited to, the use of degrading language or slurs (spoken or written) and physical harm suffered based on identity or perceived identity. Anti-Racism Workshops: By following the Prophetic model, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment is rooted in the Sunnah and reminded of the diversity of identities and how they show up. These workshops provide language, examples, tools, techniques and most importantly sisterhood in order to change a system. If your organization or group would like to receive training, contact the organization for more information related to pricing, timing and details about each workshop. Learn more about their Anti-Racism workshops here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Advancing Justice-Chicago (@advancingjusticechicago) Hate is a universal language: that’s why we accept incident reports in 11 AAPI languages: to ensure that no language barrier stands in the way of victims who want to report anti-AAPI hate. Learn more at https://t.co/vXWNaMnqWU. #stopaapihate #saynotoracism #hateisavirus pic.twitter.com/H0QqoU9PRv — StopAAPIHate (@StopAAPIHate) December 7, 2020
Condemning Anti-Asian Discrimination #HRes908 The Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19 House Resolution 908 was introduced by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng on March 25, 2020 and calls on all public officials to denounce anti-Asian racism related to the coronavirus. This resolution calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce anti-Asian sentiment, racism, discrimination, and religious intolerance related to COVID-19 and calls on Federal law enforcement officials to work with local and state agencies to investigate and document all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents against the Asian American community. It also calls on United States leadership to build a more inclusive and tolerant society by advocating for language access and combating misinformation and discrimination against Asian Americans. This simple resolution was agreed to on September 17, 2020. BREAKING: #HRes908 passed the House on a 243 -164 with one present vote. Next up: the bill will move onto the Senate! pic.twitter.com/whwglibZcB — NCAPA #AAPI2020 (@NCAPAtweets) September 17, 2020
Support Community Organizing and Power during COVID-19 Despite the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic have raised, our network partners have adapted and continued to organize and respond to the changing needs of their community members with their community outreach and engagement services, programming, and campaigns. As our communities of working-class immigrant and undocumented workers and families grapple with the impacts of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, which will continue to grow into a social, health, and economic crisis, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) has launched the “Building Power & Safety Through Solidarity” Campaign. Offering what they have learned in hopes that other communities will find it useful as they organize, this campaign provides a practical, accessible, and participatory program for building community power while also meeting the material needs of frontline communities that have been under-resourced and targeted by policies of neglect and destruction. Contribute to the “Building Power & Safety Through Solidarity” Campaign by donating to the Campaign & Leadership Development and Emergency Direct Aid Funds Amid incidents of anti-Asian racism and discrimination during COVID-19, Asian Americans Advancing Justice have launched https://www.standagainsthatred.org/ to document hate and to educate about the environment of hate around the country. By reporting and tracking incidents of anti-Asian racism, you will be aiding the efforts of Advancing Justice and other advocates to monitor hate incidents across the country. By sharing what you experienced or witnessed, you can educate the public, empower others, show service providers where help is needed, and strengthen advocacy efforts for hate crimes response and prevention. Asian Pacific Environmental Network is collecting donations for their COVID-19 Emergency Community Stabilization Fund. This fund would make sure that the working class Asian immigrants and refugees in our communities have what they need to stay home and stay healthy during this pandemic as inadequate federal and state government assistance has not been enough. Along with supporting our AAPI communities, we must also continue to raise awareness and funds for AAPI nonprofits. Seeking aid to provide general operating support, emergency cash assistance, care packages, and youth programming, Mekong NYC has joined the historic #GiveinMay campaign. Read more about how Mekong NYC is responding to the impact of COVID-19 on low-income Southeast Asian community members in the Bronx and how you can support their efforts here. A month ago, as DRUM shifted to protect health & well-being of our communities, our members moved up to organizing during a pandemic. They have sharpened their leadership by organizing community members. PLS DONATE TO SUPPORT: https://t.co/GU8Gw0wn0l pic.twitter.com/myZTTxc2v9 — DRUM (@DesisRisingUp) May 7, 2020 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mekong NYC (@mekongnyc_) on May 1, 2020 at 7:20am PDT View this post on Instagram The end of our forum today marks the end of this year’s SumOurRoots! Huge props go out to each and everyone of our students and staff for making this entire summer possible! We hope that you will all join us again this next school year! For those who are interested in seeing our final event product and the amazing recipes and stories our students collected, you can go to: bit.ly/recipesofrelief ! You can always cook those recipes and learn those stories in this time of uncertainties to feed your stomach and soul! #Sumourroots5.0 A post shared by VietLead (@vietlead) on Aug 14, 2020 at 5:06pm PDT
Report Racial Hate Incidents Hate Incident Report – The purpose of this reporting form is to give individuals in the Hmoob community an outlet to report hate incidents in a confidential manner. We also encourage anyone who is non-Hmoob to report any hate incidents that has occurred to them as well. Examples may include, but are not limited to, the use of degrading language or slurs (spoken or written) and physical harm suffered based on identity or perceived identity. A hate incident is any physically or verbally harmful act that is motivated by, or appears to be motivated by, any of the following: race/ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration/citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, economic status, language, age, pregnancy or family/marital status, disability, veteran or military status, or any other identity status. https://www.facebook.com/CiaSiabInc/photos/a.1368765633202049/2882940411784556/?type=3&theater