Civil Rights Groups’ Solidarity Statement on Recent Wave of Hate Crimes Against Asian Community

Civil and Human Rights News, Fighting Hate & Bias News 03.23,21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Janessa Sambola-Harris,  [email protected]

WASHINGTON —  In the aftermath of last week’s massacre in Atlanta where eight people were murdered, including six women of Asian descent, 207 civil and human rights organizations released the following statement:

“White supremacist violence against communities of color continues to escalate, especially in recent years. The deadly shootings in the Atlanta area on March 16 follow an alarming 150 percent increase in violence and harassment against Asians and Asian Americans, with women reporting incidents at twice the rate as men, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is no coincidence that the horrific attack targeted women of color working low-wage jobs, as women of color are the most likely to suffer the consequences of racism, misogyny, and white supremacy. 

“The civil and human rights community condemns these misogynistic and racist attacks and is united with our local allies in demanding community-centered responses to better support Asian women and elders, who have been disproportionately impacted by the increase in violence. These responses must include increased culturally informed support for survivors and the broader community; meaningful physical and mental health care access, including for all immigrants; and economic assistance that focuses on those who need it most. 

“Our leaders must take steps to acknowledge and address the impact of hateful rhetoric, violence, and vitriol that have been directed at Asian Americans, especially over the past year. They must ensure that Asian American communities, including local organizations, have the resources to effectively support people targeted for hate. When political leaders who seek to deepen divisions and their enablers dehumanize communities of color and sow hatred through rhetoric and policy, they embolden white supremacists to commit horrific violence. This is unacceptable. We must all unite to demand accountability. Hate has no place in our country, and we cannot allow this bigotry to continue unaddressed.”

Background

  • The Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a report on March 1 warning Congress about the rising threat of white supremacists, and in particular, lone offenders.
  • Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas testified on March 17 that domestic extremism “poses the most lethal and persistent terrorism-related threat to the homeland today.”
  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta and Georgia NAACP issued a collective statement: A Community-Centered Response to Violence Against Asian American Communities.
  • National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum issued a call to President Biden for Emergency Safety and Relief for Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
AACI
ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services)
Act To Change
ADL
Advancing Justice | AAJC
African Communities Together
AFSCME
ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
Alliance for Justice
Ameinu
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American School Counselor Association
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Amnesty International USA
Amplify Asian America
Anti-Defamation League
APANO
APAPA – San Diego
APAPA Texas
API Middle Tennessee
APIA Vote-MI
Appleseed Network
Arab American Institute
Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian American Center of Santa Clara County
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP)
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote
Asian CineVision
Asian Culture And Education Society USA
Asian Law Alliance
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
Asian Pacific Islander Community Leaders Coalition of Oregon
Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL)
Asian Pacific Student Association at UC Irvine
Asian Services In Action (ASIA)
ASIAN, Inc. 美亞輔鄰社
Asians in LA
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)
Augustus F. Hawkins Foundation
Austin Asian Community Civic Coalition
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Avodah
Bayanihan Collective
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Berkeley Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League
Boat People SOS (BPSOS)
Carolina Jews for Justice
Casa Ruby
Center for Disability Rights
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Center for Learner Equity
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center For Southeast Asians
Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism – California State University, San Bernardino
Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Oakland Lodge
Chinese Culture Connection, Inc.
Church of the Brethren, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy
Civic Leadership USA
Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues
Colorado Dragon Boat
CreaTV San José
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
Dear Asian Americans
Demos
Disability Rights Advocates
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Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Edot Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity and Racial Justice Collaborative
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End Citizens United / Let America Vote Action Fund
Equal Justice Society
Faith and Community Empowerment (formerly KCCD)
Faith Organizing Alliance
FASTER – Filipino Americans in Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics
Feminist Majority Foundation
FilAmplified
Girls Inc.
GLSEN
GOLD HOUSE
HIAS
Hindu American Foundation
Hispanic Federation
Hop Sing Tong Denver
Hope Community Services
Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Watch
Immigrant Defense Project
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Impact Fund
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Interfaith Alliance
International Children Assistance Network
International Leadership Foundation
Iowa Asian Alliance
Japanese American Citizens League
JCRC of San Francisco
Jewish Community Action
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Women International
Jewish World Watch
Justice in Aging
KAFO Fund
Keshet
Korean American Center
Korean American Democratic Committee
Korean Community Services, Inc.
Lab/Shul
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
Lambda Legal
Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity, Inc.
Laotian American National Alliance
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
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LEAD Filipino
League of Conservation Voters
League of Women Voters of U.S.
LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics)
Learning Policy Institute
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Little Lights Urban Ministries
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Make It Work Nevada
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MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Movement Advancement Project
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NAACP
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National Action Network (NAN)
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National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
National Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA)
National Black Justice Coalition
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National Center for Civil and Human Rights
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National Center for Transgender Equality
National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients)
National Council of Jewish Women
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National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
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National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA)
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National Indian Education Association
National Japanese American Memorial Foundation
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National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Organization for Women
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Native American Rights Fund
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OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates
OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates
OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, Greater Cleveland Chapter
OCA Greater Phoenix
OCA-Greater Houston
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Ohio AAPI Caucus
Open to All
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Oregon Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association
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SHK Global Health
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA)
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center – SEARAC
Southern Poverty Law Center
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Taiwanese American Professionals – Washington, D.C.
The Center for Asian Pacific American Women
The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute For Law & Policy
The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
The Workers Circle
The Young S.A.M.O.A.
They See Blue Texas
Transportation Learning Center
UC Berkeley Pilipinx American Alumni Chapter
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UCLA Center for EthnoCommunications
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Union for Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries
UpStart
Voice of Vietnamese Americans
YAFFED
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(List last updated April 12, 2021)

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Education Fund’s campaigns empower and mobilize advocates around the country to push for progressive change in the United States. It was founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. For more information on The Education Fund, visit civilrights.org/edfund.