To my fellow community members,
We condemn the attacks against our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander brothers and sisters. There has been a documented increase in Anti-Asian attacks on individuals of all ages since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in part fueled by the rhetoric of the previous administration. These recent violent attacks including the shootings in Atlanta, Georgia on three Asian-owned businesses that claimed the lives of eight people, are acts of hate and should be roundly condemned by everyone. In times like this, it’s important for us to come together in solidarity with the ones that are hurting and being hurt.
AADAP’s mission was founded on social justice, and, at the core, we have been advocating for the fair treatment and access to resources for marginalized members of our communities. We have long recognized that racism towards one group impacts everyone, and have stood in solidarity with communities of color when they experience racially motivated hate and violence. We call on our allies to stand up against Anti-Asian hate, and to help bring awareness and resources to aid the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community. We will continue to stand in solidarity with you.
We are all partners in this together. If you have witnessed Anti-Asian violence, we suggest you report it to Stop AAPI Hate (https://stopaapihate.org/). If you are a victim of a crime and need legal services, please contact Asian Americans Advancing Justice- Los Angeles (https://advancingjustice-la.
Mike Watanabe, MSW, L.H.D.
President & CEO
AADAP, Inc.
