The reality is that there have been failures at all levels of government to address the needs of our communities at this time. Instead of excusing language and shifting blame onto everyday Asian Americans who are trying to survive this deadly pandemic, the Chairwoman should be working within her party to understand the harm that has directly impacted Asian Americans at this time.

Our communities have benefited from Black freedom struggles that paved the way for our own fights for freedom and equal treatment in America. So, in this moment, it matters that we commit to Black liberation and raise our voices to say that #BlackLivesMatter. We emphatically call on our Asian communities to center George Floyd’s life and continue to amplify the demands from his family and community for justice.

We are reaching out in a moment where we see anti-Asian discrimination and violence on the rise. Amidst our current environment where every person has been impacted by COVID-19, the President, along with some of our nation’s leaders, began using language that stigmatized the Asian community. The history of branding Asian Americans as a diseased foreign group isn’t new to this country, but in this moment, it has led to increased racist and xenophobic acts targeting Asian communities across the country, including here in Minnesota.

We are a set of Asian Minnesotan organizations serving our diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population across Minnesota. We stand together to condemn all acts of harassment, discrimination and bias against APIs, and call for more bold leadership and actions to protect all communities.