In the first few weeks of 2021, several U.S. cities have reported brutal crimes against Asian Americans, particularly Asian-owned small businesses and our most vulnerable seniors. Between March and August of last year, over 2,600 reports of violence and anti-Asian incidents were filed representing a 1,900% increase in cases since 2019.
We feel these impacts across our Asian American community, but most acutely when it hits the San Francisco Bay Area. As a result of xenophobic attitudes and beliefs at the start of the pandemic, Asian American small businesses and older adults have been targeted in a wave of burglaries, robberies, and attacks. Most recently, an 84-year-old was attacked and killed in San Francisco. In over 20 different instances, seniors were assaulted in Chinatown’s Oakland according to the Oakland Chamber of Commerce. An elder Asian American man was robbed in San Leandro and most locally, an elder Asian American woman was robbed in broad daylight in San Jose – a week before Lunar New Year Celebrations were to commence.
Let us be clear: there is no tolerance for hatred, prejudice, and xenophobia in our society.
We condemn perpetrators and encouragers of violence and hateful rhetoric targeted toward Asian Americans.
LEAD Filipino will be working in concert with Asian American-serving and broader community and nonprofit organizations to address this issue throughout San Jose.
These initial activities include participating in listening sessions on AAPI reactions with City of San Jose administrators and coordinating community events for seniors in Japantown and other districts across the city.
Please message Angelica@leadfilipino.org to receive more information on getting involved in these efforts.
