We are sickened by the Anti-Asian violence, aggression, and intimidation that has escalated in our country over the past year, recently claiming the lives of eight people in Atlanta, Georgia, six of them Asian American women. Our hearts ache for the families, friends, neighbors, and communities of Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Hyun Jung Grant, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Suncha Kim, Xiaojie Tan, and Yong Ae Yue. We cannot be silent. The anti-Asian violence, rhetoric, and intimidation we are witnessing today are connected to a long tradition of exclusion, racism, misogyny, bigotry, and xenophobia in our country--hate-filled ideas that are rooted in White Supremacy and borne of fear and ignorance.
We stand in solidarity with our Asian American staff members, family members, partners, and communities. We mourn the loss of life in Atlanta and live with the knowledge that Oregon is not immune to the unacceptable trend we are witnessing. Incidents of hate and intimidation against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community are increasing here too, and these hate-based incidents continue to occur in many of our communities of color across the state. Oregon’s own history of racism and exclusion has brought us to where we are today.
Our shared commitment to center racial equity in our grantmaking and organization continues. By lifting up the work of Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Indigenous, immigrant and refugee, and other communities of color across the state, including those working to address gender bias that affects women, gender non-comforming people, and our trans community members, we seek an end to racism and gender violence. We work toward a more just and equitable society that is free from the pernicious effects of hate and discrimination in all its forms.
In solidarity,
Cynthia Addams, Jaime Arredondo, Truman Collins, Serena Cruz, Leann Do, Cindy Knowles, Ryan Luria, Cheryl Montoya, Jackie Murphy, Kimberlee Pierce Sheng, Cherida Collins Smith, Tonisha Toler, Lee Diane Collins Vest, Marlena Willette, Sara Yada
Here are some relevant articles and links:
APANO responds to shooting tragedy in Atlanta metro area
Stop AAPI Hate (including resources for reporting and support) - Partners in Diversity
A Call for Solidarity and Collective Action: Asian American Philanthropy Letter of Intention
Supporting API Communities Resource Directory - Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP)