JOINT STATEMENT FROM CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICANS UNITED FOR SELF EMPOWERMENT (CAUSE), HISPANAS ORGANIZED FOR POLITICAL EQUALITY (HOPE), JEWISH CENTER FOR JUSTICE (JCJ), AND LOS ANGELES URBAN LEAGUE (LAUL) ON THE INCREASE OF ANTI-ASIAN HATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Farrah Su

CAUSE Marketing and Communications Manager

Phone: (323) 388-5521

Email: farrah@causeusa.org

Los Angeles, CA, April 8, 2020 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed inequities and vulnerabilities in our nation. Amongst them is the rise of anti-immigrant and violent acts against Asians in the United States. Violence towards Asians in America is not a new phenomenon. It has been around for centuries. From the Chinese immigrants that built railroads (1860s) to Japanese American internment (1940s) to the mass murder of Southeast Asian refugee children in Stockton (1980s), Asians have experienced the violent consequences of xenophobia. Asians were dehumanized then and are dehumanized now, which is evident in recent stories of attacks on Asians across the nation, videos of elders being beaten, and the shooting in Atlanta that took the lives of 8 people, including 6 Asian women.

According to Stop AAPI Hate, a California-based nonprofit tracking incidents of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, there were 3,800 reported attacks or abuse against people of Asian descent between March 2020 to February 2021.

The Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE), Hispanas Organized for Political Empowerment (HOPE), the Jewish Center for Justice (JCJ), and the Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) believe that hate against any group should not be tolerated, in any form. Together, our organizations condemn racism, misogyny, violence, and hate towards the Asian community. We are committed to overcoming hate, hate that impacts us all, and building long-term solutions that protect all of our communities.

We originally created this coalition to examine race relations in California and find solutions together on any problems that arise. We see now that our response to those challenges will shape a new normal that prevents hate from taking root in our society. Through collaborative dialogue and educational initiatives, our organizations have already begun to eliminate ignorance long term. By continuing our work and providing joint spaces to build with one another, we will empower diverse leaders to speak out against racism and create solutions that combat hate.

Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan, community-based organization with a mission to advance the political and civic empowerment of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through nonpartisan voter outreach, training, and education as well as leadership development.

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality - HOPE® is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that has focused on empowering our communities through advocacy, Latina leadership training, and increasing knowledge on the contributions Latinas have made to advance the status of women for the past 30 years. To date, HOPE’s innovative programming has directly served 57,000 Latinas statewide and touched the lives of several thousand more through HOPE’s advocacy agenda.

Jewish Center for Justice (JCJ) is a distinguished social justice, education, and leadership development platform that empowers current and future leaders to build a more compassionate and just society.

Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) serves, educates and empowers African Americans and other minorities to secure economic self-reliance and civil rights by providing targeted social programs and advocating for issues that benefit our communities.

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