Hate against Asian Americans MUST be stopped.

In this past year, we’ve seen an increase in attacks, threats and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders(AAPI) – whether it be a gas station owner in Houston being pepper sprayed, a restaurant owner in CA getting their store vandalized because they were asking people to wear a mask, or last night’s mass shooting in Atlanta.

These hate crimes are unacceptable and my heart goes out to the Asian American community. Though we cannot understand the fear and pain you must be facing, as a parent of a Korean American son, I am with you.

These tragedies are far too common. Blatant racism has long been perpetuated by our media, our movies and TV shows, and more recently by politicians who refused to speak up and act against this racism since the pandemic started.

Let’s be clear though, this falls on all of us. Each of us as individuals have for too long been passive as AAPI individuals continue to be stereotyped, racially profiled, treated as a “model minority” and objectified sexually.

These horrific events have only shone light on underlying racism that has existed in our society. Every company, organization and individual has the duty to push back against this bigotry and racism. Most importantly, we must all stand up, take action and find ways to support the AAPI community.

At SBC, we recognize that we don’t have all the answers or solutions, but here are a few resources for individuals and others that want to get involved and take action in whatever way you can. Please join us in working to put an end to this now.

Kevin Wilhelm, CEO

Sustainable Business Consulting

Resources

• Stop Asian Hate: This is a great site for getting involved, donating, and reporting issues, news, issues and resources.
• Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation: ACLF Northwest is a community-based, nonprofit organization that trains and supports the leadership and civic engagement of Asian Pacific Islanders with a commitment to social justice, community empowerment and public service.

•  APIChaya:   “API Chaya seeks to end systemic violence in our communities. We have served thousands of people and worked with dozens of community groups for community organizing and education regarding prevention of sexual and domestic violence, exploitation, and human trafficking.”

• Asian Counseling and Referral Services: ACRS promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities – including immigrants, refugees, and American-born – by developing, providing and advocating for innovative, effective and efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services.
• Educate yourself on the Model Minority Myth: https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-is-the-model-minority-myth
• National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, an organization that’s been around since 1996, is in 13 cities across the U.S. and focuses on empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander women and girls to influence their communities.
• National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance is a national federation of LGBT Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander organizations focused on promoting visibility and eradicating prejudice.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice is an affiliation of organizations that advocate for Asian American civil and human rights.
• The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) is a coalition of more than forty community-based organizations that serve and represent the 1.5 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the greater Los Angeles area, with a particular focus on low-income, immigrant, refugee, and other vulnerable populations.
• Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) was founded in 1969 to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. Today, CAA is a progressive voice in and on behalf of the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
• Stop AAPI Hate National Report: Statistics and firsthand accounts of discrimination

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