This time last year, our friends and neighbors in New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco were reeling from a wave of brutal attacks involving Asian Americans. We are still reeling. The truth is, our communities have grappled with similar challenges for decades, and they continue to experience harm today, in the form of violence, economic hardship and the effects of racial trauma.
At CAA, we have stepped up to address the rise of racism, violence, and xenophobia. In partnership with local, state, and national partners — and tens of thousands of people like you — we documented 10,000+ hate incidents through our online reporting center, Stop AAPI Hate. We offered support to local victims and survivors through the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ). We also led the coalition in support of California’s API Equity Budget, which will invest $165 million in community-based organizations serving not just Asians and Pacific Islanders, but all vulnerable communities.
In 2022, we look forward to redoubling our efforts to address anti-Asian hate and advancing racial equity through interlocking strategies in community partnerships, data and research, legislative advocacy, and direct services.
In community partnerships, CAA will cultivate relationships with community-based organizations, government agencies, and to build solidarity across racial, ethnic, and gender lines.
In data and research, CAA and Stop AAPI Hate will continue to expand our reporting center to capture a more vivid understanding of AAPI experiences through local outreach, data analysis, and more.
In legislative advocacy, CAA will mobilize support for state, local, and national legislation that protects, resources, and uplifts AAPI and other affected communities.
In direct services, CAA along with our partners in the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ) will continue to provide wrap-around support for victims and survivors of violence in San Francisco, and to fight for greater language access at the government offices that have a duty to serve them.
Addressing anti-Asian hate will take all of us working together to confront, not just each individual instance of racism, but the systems and structures that allow it to persist. CAA will continue to share our progress in the weeks and months ahead.
