Iona stands in solidarity with Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities
From the start of the pandemic, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities have experienced a significant increase in hate crimes and racist rhetoric implicating Asian people for the spread of COVID-19. Recently it’s been reported that there have been nearly 3,800 hate crimes, with 68 percent of these reports involving Asian American women. These hate crimes, which are race-based and xenophobic, often target the most vulnerable among us—immigrants, seniors, and women—who are least able to fight back or seek legal recourse.
Iona condemns the violence against the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, most recently in New York City, and elsewhere. We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims and Asian American colleagues and communities in the fight to stop racialized violence against people of Asian descent.
We firmly believe that any form of racial discrimination, hatred, bigotry, and violence against any community is an attack on all of us. We stand together to call for solidarity. We urge everyone to call out racism and violence when you see it in any community and to reach out to one another in support and care.
Below we share resources that can help us as a community to be better informed and better able to work in solidarity with our AAPI friends and colleagues. Please explore the resources below to learn more about current and historical context and to find ways to offer tangible support in the fight against anti-Asian violence and interlocking systems of oppression.
Resources for Education and Action:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is calling for signatories to a statement denouncing systemic violence against AAPI communities and calling for community-centered response.
Stop AAPI Hate tracks and responds to incidents of hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the US.
Bystander Intervention Training to Prevent Anti-Asian Harassment – learn how to safely intervene if you see someone being targeted.
Red Canary Song resources to support families of Atlanta victims.
Long History of Racism Against Asian Americans
How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism
Related Articles
The Stories of Dementia in the District
A Couple’s Vows Create Opportunities to Age Well
Can You Imagine Taking Three Buses to Get to Iona?
