In the face of an appalling surge of anti-Asian violence since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, LISC memorializes its active condemnation of this and all racial and gender-based aggression, and stands in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
The recent horrific murders of eight people in Atlanta, including six Asian women, come at a time of unprecedented violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). There have been 3,800 reports of hate incidents targeting members of AAPI communities across the country since last March when the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to the advocacy organization Stop AAPI Hate. LISC condemns this violence and stands in solidarity with AAPI communities everywhere.
It is particularly dismaying that these crimes have surged as we approach the 79th anniversary of the Japanese internment camps and U.S. v. Korematsu, a blot on America’s promise of equality, and nearly 140 years after the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, to name just two examples of America’s institutionalized anti-AAPI racism. In spite of the hard lessons of our history, harmful stereotypes and discrimination against AAPI people are still fomenting brutality and injustice.
Racist and gender-based violence, white supremacy and xenophobia have afflicted our nation since its inception. We must name them, condemn them, and do everything in our power to stanch them, wherever and in whatever form they occur. At LISC, through our new strategic plan, we have intensified our commitment to dismantling systems that continue to perpetuate racial violence. We are applying a racial equity lens to every aspect of our work, from staff development and project financing, to capacity building and program implementation. Our mission, and the collectively held values of our team, will stand for nothing less.
This is a painful time for all of us—especially for those of us who are members of AAPI communities. It’s also a reminder of just how critical it is that we pull together and redouble our dedication to the larger goal of making our communities, and the entire United States, more inclusive, equitable and safe for all.