ActionDignity Statement on Anti-Asian Racism.
We live in unprecedented times. However, racism should never be tolerated. It should be confronted.
At ActionDignity, we are heartbroken to witness the hate and violence that Asian-Canadian and Asian-American communities are facing. Recent events, especially the tragic shootings in Atlanta where eight individuals, six of them Asian women were murdered, are horrifying. These point to the desperate cries for help from the Asian communities since the pandemic began. As a community-based organization, ActionDignity represents racialized communities including migrants and immigrants. We believe in the ethos, “We can only build the future, a future worthy of our children, by standing together and fostering a community of equality and dignity for all.” For this, we implore that people stop anti-Asian hate and stop stereotyping Asian women.
We stand against anti-Asian racism and denounce the hate and violence that have affected the lives of Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiao Zhen Xie, Danny Yu Chang, Ngoc Pham, Pak Ho, Vicha Ratanapakdee, Cam-Thanh Tat, Subhakar Khadka, Tu Hoang Lam, Danilo Jimenez Jr., and countless others who remain anonymous but whose stories we have heard in the news.
We are appalled that over the past year, anti-Asian hate crime incidents rose by 878% in Vancouver alone (source: Vancouver Police Report). In Calgary, as COVIID 19 surged, so is racism targeting Asians (CTV News Calgary). Racism is here, not somewhere else. It is wrong that Asians and other racialized communities have been singled out and blamed for this pandemic. We grieve at the number of Asian-Canadian seniors who have lost their lives or have been attacked. We also grieve that when the Asian communities share their experiences of racism, they are silenced, ignored, or dismissed.
“Because we’re invisible, the racism against us has also been invisible.” – Cathy Park Hong, author of Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning.
Let us change this narrative. It is urgent that we acknowledge that anti-Asian racism is real; it is imperative that we protect Asian communities.
Asian-Americans, we are with you. Asian-Canadians, we are with you. You are the healthcare professional who cares for the sick, the young, the old. You are the business owner and entrepreneur who contributes to this great economy and helps create jobs. You are the lawyer, the teacher, the scientist, the pilot, and social worker. You are the meatpacking plant worker who brings food to our table, the grocery worker who ensures we have our daily needs, the student who works in the gig economy, the grandmother who takes care of her grandchildren, the store clerk who moonlights as a housecleaner, the farm worker, the artist. You contribute not only to our economy but to the overall vitality and health of our communities. You find dignity in your work and pride in your heritage and values. You are part of our great multicultural and multiracial mosaic.
Act now by doing the following:
1. Reach out to Asian community members. Find out how they are doing. Listen to the Asian community as they share and grieve with them. Be gracious and refrain from giving unsolicited advice. Recognize that many are now fearful of their safety.
2. Inform yourself. Watch CTV Calgary’s documentary on COVID-19: The Spread of Racism. Read news sources like NextShark and go to #StopAsianHate to access additional resources. Take Bystander Intervention training where offered.
3. Report racism. Act2EndRacism offers an online reporting centre that is accessible in multiple languages. Act2EndRacism is Canadian and provides free community resources and training opportunities.
4. Stand in solidarity. The pain and the suffering of one group does not take away from the pain and the suffering of other groups. Let us remember that many people are affected by racism; let us stand together for a better future. BIPOC groups are partnering with each other for change so that all voices can be heard.
5. Give and extend your understanding, time, and resources. The Asian communities have been asking for help. Examples can include volunteering (in the US, Latinx youth have offered to take elderly Asians around so that they can feel safe), donating (there are many organizations and even GoFundMe pages set up for victims), shopping at Asian-owned local businesses, or taking the time to connect with anti-racism organizations in Calgary and beyond.
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