The Asian American community has been under attack recently as evident from the rise in hate crimes against them nationally and here in Chicago, to the recent murders of Asian-American women in Atlanta last week. The targeting of their communities, and in particular Asian-American women is not new. Asian-Americans have been subjugated for some time in the U.S., including through the Page Act of 1875, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Japanese Internment Camps of World War II.
We at Association House categorically reject anti-Asian racism based in hate. The behaviors we reject are steeped in the same type of hatred that has stoked anti-Black and anti-immigrant sentiments in this country, and they have no place at Association House or in the communities we serve.
To the contrary, I have been encouraged by the inclusive and welcoming environment of the House to all communities. I am further encouraged by the work of our Association House High School’s Anti-Racism Committee which has put issues like these front and center, and which is serving as a model for our organization-wide initiatives on Anti-Racism to come.
For those interested in taking immediate action in support of our AAPI communities, there will be vigils this Friday at Horner Park and in Chinatown, and there is a proposed bill in the state legislature that you could personally support that would require the teaching of Asian-American history in Illinois schools to highlight the diverse experiences and contributions of Asian-Americans. For today and for always, we stand together in rejecting hate and in supporting our AAPI communities.
Best,
Juan Carlos Linares President and CEO
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