I am saddened to see the rise of Anti-Asian violence and rhetoric, both in our communities and nationwide. Xenophobia and hate should have no place in New York City, yet over the past year, we’ve seen a dramatic rise in reported hate crimes against Asian Americans. While disturbing, it is also unsurprising, a year into the pandemic in which Asian Americans have been scapegoated for the rise of COVID-19. We’ve heard it, with hateful phrases like “China Virus” and “Kung Flu.” We’ve seen the suffering as businesses have shuttered in Chinatown and beyond, and we’ve felt the pain, with the violent assaults on Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) elderly and youth alike.
The AAPI community should not have to fear racial slurs or violent attacks, which have taken place in many of the neighborhoods that Public Health Solutions serves – from Flushing to Manhattan to Sunset Park. New Yorkers should not have to worry about their children walking to school, their parents shopping for groceries, or clients taking the public transportation on the way to our centers. We must reject this hate and stand in solidarity with the AAPI community.