Author: Candace Yu

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AABANY Publishes Know Your Rights Brochure to Assist AAPI Community Members Experiencing Bias Incidents

To assist the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in New York City amid the surge of anti-Asian hate and violence, AABANY has created a Know Your Rights brochure to inform and educate AAPIs on their legal rights if they experience a bias incident or potential hate crime.

The brochure provides a background of the U.S. legal system, defining a hate crime according to the New York State hate crime statute and differentiates between a hate crime and a bias incident. It encourages individuals who have experienced an incident to focus on the facts and ask themselves: “Do I have evidence that an attack was motivated by a belief or perception about an individual’s race, color, national origin, ancestry, or gender?” The brochure also provides tips on what to do when individuals are experiencing a bias incident. This includes turning on sound or video recording; taking note of the attacker’s physical appearance and clothes; and collecting bystander witness contact information. The brochure then outlines the steps of what to do after experiencing a bias incident, such as pursuing action through the criminal justice system, a civil lawsuit, or non-legal option.

AABANY is available as a resource to the AAPI community. The bar association offers interpretation and translation services, provides information or referral services for individuals interested in pursuing a civil lawsuit, and can serve as a guide for individuals interested in exploring the criminal justice process and other forms of assistance.

To view the Know Your Rights Brochure, please see the links below:

English: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.aabany.org/resource/resmgr/2021aav/KnowYourRights_Online_0513.pdf

Chinese (simplified): https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.aabany.org/resource/resmgr/2021aav/KnowYourRights_Online_Simpli.pdf

Chinese (traditional): https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.aabany.org/resource/resmgr/2021aav/KnowYourRights_Online_TradCh.pdf

Translations into other Asian languages are currently in process and will be uploaded soon. Please be on the lookout for that announcement.

If you have any questions about these Know Your Rights brochures, please feel free to contact AABANY at [email protected] 

Please feel free to share this post and the links to the PDF brochures widely. Please also print out and distribute hard copies to anyone who you think might benefit from receiving this information.

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In the News: Board Director Chris Kwok Interviewed by ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

AABANY’s report on anti-Asian violence was recently mentioned in a May 6, 2021 ABC News article titled “Asian Americans take a stand as the US faces a new racial reckoning.” The article highlighted the report’s finding of the eight-fold increase in the number of anti-Asian hate incidents that were reported to the NYPD in 2020 compared to the previous year. Co-Executive Editor of the report and AABANY Board Director Chris Kwok was interviewed on the underreporting of anti-Asian hate incidents and the increase of anti-Asian hate and violence during the pandemic. Chris discussed the long-standing anti-Asian sentiments in America which date back to laws in the 19th and early 20th centuries controlling the rights of Chinese workers. He stated: “The pandemic unleashed, I think, a growing fear of China going back to [Barack] Obama’s second term…Then if you take the thread back longer in the West, in America, there’s always been a fear of Chinese in America.” Chris also mentioned how former President Donald Trump’s reference to COVID-19 as the “China virus” and “Kung Flu” fueled anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic, providing perpetrators “the ultimate authorisation to behave to the worst impulses that you had.” 

To read the full article, click here.

Please also take a look at previous blog posts from February 19, March 1, March 8, March 15, March 29, and May 10 highlighting news stories about our report. If you have come across a news report or article about our report that is not listed above, please let us know at [email protected].

More public awareness about our report and the rise in anti-Asian violence is needed. Please share our report widely. If you have ideas or thoughts about how we can combat anti-Asian violence, please share them with us at [email protected].

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New York State Bar Association Honors Justice Peter Tom with the George Bundy Smith Award on May 6

On May 6, the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association presented the George Bundy Smith Award to the Honorable Peter Tom, former Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Judicial Department. The George Bundy Smith Award is presented annually to an attorney of color whose career exemplifies the high standards in legal excellence, community service, and mentoring set by Judge George Bundy Smith through his participation in the Civil Rights Movement and his years of public service serving as a judge. 

Vincent Chang had the honor of presenting the award to Justice Tom. In his speech, he described Justice Tom as “our Jackie Robinson.” Like Jackie Robinson, Justice Tom had accomplished goals during his career no one in his race had ever accomplished. Throughout his years of service in the court system, he achieved many “firsts”—first Asian American appointed to the Housing Court in New York City; first Asian American elected to the Civil Court in New York City; first Asian American elected to the New York State Supreme Court in New York County; and first Asian American appointed to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department. Justice Tom was even the first Asian American to win the New York City Golden Gloves Boxing Championship. In his legal career, Justice Tom tore down walls one by one. He employed a 100-year-old “Bawdy House Statute” for the first time in a groundbreaking ruling to evict drug dealers from residential property. In People v. Luis Kevin Rojas, Justice Tom reversed an innocent man’s conviction and saved Luis Rojas from a potential lifetime in prison. Justice Tom also gives back immensely to the Asian American community. He is one of the founders of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.

In accepting the George Bundy Smith Award, Justice Tom shared the story of his family’s immigration to the United States from China with their hopes of finding the mountains of gold in America. Instead of finding gold mountains, Justice Tom was thrust into New York City where he had to learn English, find his identity, and work hard. He stated, “[The] real treasure of America was not…easy riches but vast golden opportunities in this diverse country where the road of opportunity leads if one works hard and perseveres.” In addition, Justice Tom provided attendees with insight into how appeals are handled by the First Department, stressing the importance of strong oral argument. He also emphasized pro bono representation and civility in the legal profession.

Congratulations to Justice Tom on receiving the George Bundy Smith Award! To read AABANY’s profile on Justice Tom, click here.

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AABANY Immigration Law Committee Presents “Immigration Changes Under the Biden Administration: A Look Back and Overview” on April 20

On April 20, Immigration Law Committee Co-Chairs Annie Wang, Poonam Gupta, and Zhixian (Jessie) Liu held a webinar titled “Immigration Changes Under the Biden Administration: A Look Back and Overview.” The co-chairs provided updates to the immigration policies under the Biden administration and compared it to the plans President Biden had outlined when he first took office.

In the webinar, the Immigration Law Committee provided updates to the status of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 and the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and discussed how passage of the bills could affect the pathway to citizenship. The co-chairs also covered employment-based immigration changes including the withdrawal of the H-4 EAD (Employment Authorization Document) rule, the repeal of the BAHA (Buy American and Hire American) Executive Order, and the changes to the H-1B Visa Program for fiscal year 2022. Co-Chair Annie Wang discussed the national dialogue surrounding asylum and refugee resettlement, and gave an update on the status of current DACA litigation. The co-chairs concluded the webinar by providing a quick overview of the rescission of the Public Charge Rule.

The Immigration Law Committee plans to continue hosting quarterly webinars to provide the AABANY community with immigration updates under the Biden administration. To learn more about the Immigration Law Committee’s upcoming events, please contact the committee co-chairs at https://www.aabany.org/page/129. 

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In the News: Executive Director Yang Chen and Board Director Chris Kwok Featured in The Spectator

AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen and Board Director Chris Kwok were recently mentioned in the April 28, 2021 edition of The Spectator, the Stuyvesant High School newspaper, in an article titled “Alumni Association Hosts Community Discussion on Anti-Asian Violence.” Both alumni of the school, Chris (’92) served as the moderator and Yang (’83) was one of the speakers in the April 15 community discussion. Other panelists included Joanne Kwong (’93), President of Pearl River Mart; Soo Kim (’93), President of the Stuyvesant High School Alumni Association; U.S. Representative Grace Meng (’93); Seung Yu, Principal of Stuyvesant High School; and current Stuyvesant juniors Christopher Liu, Xiaoshen Ma, Laura Xia, and Alice Zhu. During the discussion, panelists shared with over 200 attendees their personal experiences with race and their opinions on the recent increase of hate crimes and racism against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

Yang presented the findings and solutions outlined in AABANY’s report on anti-Asian violence and spoke about how AABANY is supporting the AAPI community. He stated: “One thing we’re pushing hard on is to make sure the NYPD Asian Hate Crimes task force is being fully funded. We’re very much supportive of any effort by law enforcement to bring attention to this issue and we’re trying to put as much word out as possible especially to the Mayor’s office. Mayor de Blasio denounced Asian-American violence a year ago but we’re still waiting for someone who is arrested for the crime to actually face criminal sanctions for it.”

To read the full coverage of the program on The Spectator, click here.

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Restaurant Revitalization Fund Application is Opening!

Register in the SBA application portal this Friday, April 30 (Portal opens 9 AM)

Applications will open on Monday, May 3 (12 PM EST)

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) is launching the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants keep their doors open. Qualifying businesses may receive funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss, up to $5 million ($10 million per business entity with multiple locations). Received funds spent on eligible uses until March 11, 2023 do not have to be repaid.

Eligible entities who have experienced pandemic-related revenue loss:

  • Restaurants
  • Food stands, food trucks, food carts
  • Caterers
  • Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns
  • Snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars
  • Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products

Eligible with onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts:

  • Bakeries 
  • Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms 
  • Breweries and/or microbreweries 
  • Wineries and distilleries 
  • Inns 

Is your business majority-owned by Asian owners? Businesses owned more than 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will be given priority for review in the first 21 days of applications. Make sure to check the box self-certifying you are a socially disadvantaged individual!

For detailed information: Restaurant Revitalization Fund (sba.gov)

RRF Program Guide in Asian languages are available here: Restaurant Revitalization Funding Program Guide (sba.gov)

Application will be available only in English and Spanish. Prepare required documents and fill out the application practice form included in the in-language guide beforehand to ensure you are prepared to apply when the program launches!

Simplified Chinese:                                                                                                                   

政府餐饮复兴基金（RRF）现正接受申请!

请于4月30日，本周五（系统将于早上9点开放）在美国小商业管理局 (SBA) 的系统进行意向登记

正式申请系统将于5月3日，周一，中午12：00后开放

美国小商业管理局（SBA) 正在启动餐饮复兴基金（RRF）计划，该计划将为餐饮企业提供资助帮助他们继续日常经营。符合资格的企业可获得与其受疫情影响损失营收额等额的资助，最高可达500万美元（若企业同时有多家店面运营，最高额可达1000万美元）。只要受领人在 2023 年 3 月 11 日之前将补助金用于合规的用途，其无需偿还该补助金。

并且您的企业营收在疫情期间受到了影响，并属于以下类别即可申请：

  • 餐馆
  • 餐车和路边摊档、
  • 饮食承办商、
  • 酒吧、酒庄、小旅馆
  • 零食店或非酒精类饮品店
  • 其它持牌经营的酒类生产或销售企业

以下类别企业若线下零售额占企业总营收33%，也具有申请资格：

  • 面包店
  • 酒馆、品酒室、生啤酒吧
  • 啤酒厂和/或微型酿酒厂
  • 葡萄酒庄和蒸馏酒厂
  • 小旅馆

您的企业股权主要所有人为是亚裔吗？若企业股权51%由社会与经济弱势族群所有，建议您在开放申请后的头21天进行申请，您的申请将会被优先考虑。若您是亚裔，请务必在填写申请时勾选正确选项声明您属于弱势族群。

更多信息请参考: 餐饮振兴基金SBA

亚洲语种项目介绍: 餐饮振兴基金项目指南

SBA提供了中文申请表格翻译供参考，但申请系统仅有英文与西语，请在申请系统开放前准备好相应的英文文件和信息方便您第一时间递交申请。

Korean:

레스토랑 재부양 기금 프로그램 접수가 곧 시작됩니다!

오는 금요일 (4월 30일) 오전 9시 부터 SBA 포털에 사전 등록해 계정를 만드세요

기금 프로그램 접수 5월 3일 낮 12시 시작

내달 3일 (월요일) 부터 미국 중소기업청(SBA)이 식당들을 지원하는 레스토랑 활성화 펀드(RRF)를 출범합니다. 자격을 갖춘 업체는 팬더믹 관련 매출 손실 금액에 해당하는 자금 (업체당 최대 500만 달러, 다중 소재지 사업체당 1,000만 달러)에 해당하는 자금을 지원받을 수 있으며, 2023년 3월 11일까지 적격 용도에 사용한 수령 자금은 상환할 필요가 없습니다.

기금 신청 자격 대상

코로나바이러스 팬더믹으로 수익 감소를 겪었으며 현재 영구 폐점상태가 아닌:

  • 레스토랑
  • 푸드 스탠드, 푸드 트럭, 푸드 카트
  • 케이터링 업체
  • 바, 술집, 라운지, 선술집
  • 스낵 및 무알콜 음료 바
  • 제품 시음/샘플링/구매 가능한 알코올 음료 제조 업체의 시설 혹은 부지로 허가를 받은 곳

2019년 총수입액의 최소 33%가 현장 판매였음을 증명할 수 있는 경우: 

  • 베이커리
  • 브루펍, 테이스팅 룸, 탭룸
  • 맥주 양조장, 소규모 맥주 양조장
  • 와인 양조장 혹은 증류주 공장
  • 여관

혹시 사업체의 소유주가 과반수 이상 아시안이십니까? 사회적·경제적 약자가 51% 이상 소유한 사업체는 신청 후 21일 이내에 심사를 우선적으로 받게 됩니다. 기금 신청시 자신이 사회적 약자인 것을 스스로 증명하는 박스를 반드시 체크하세요!

자세한 사항은: Restaurant Revitalization Fund (sba.gov)

한국어 가이드 보기 : http://bit.ly/hangulrrf

RRF 기금 지원은 영어와 스페인어로만 가능합니다. 필수 문서를 미리 준비해두고 한국어 가이드에 지원서류 샘플에 따라 미리 양식을 작성해 두시면 당일 지원에 도움이 됩니다.

Nepali

रेस्टुरेन्ट पुनरुद्धार कोषकोलागि निवेदन खुल्दै छ!

एस.बी.ए आवेदन पोर्टलमा यो शुक्रवार, अप्रिल 30 तारिक मा दर्ता गर्नुहोस् (पोर्टल 9 बिहान खुल्नेछ)। 

आवेदन सोमबार, मे ३ तारिक (१२ बजे ) खुल्नेछ।

अमेरिकाको सानो व्यवसाय प्रशासन (एस.बि.ए.) ले रेस्टुरेन्टहरुलाई पूर्ण ब्यवसाय संचालन गर्नकालागि मद्दत पुर्याउन रेस्टुरेन्ट पुनरुद्धार कोष (आर. आर. एफ) शुरू गर्दैछ। योग्य व्यवसायहरूले उनीहरूको कोभिड-१९महामारीले गर्दा भएको राजस्व घाटा बराबर कोष प्राप्त गर्न सक्दछ। एस कोषद्वारा व्यवसायहरुले ५ मिलियन डलर (बहुविध स्थानहरूभएकाले १० मिलियन) सम्मको कोष प्राप्त गर्न सक्नेछन्। मार्च ११, २०२३ सम्म योग्य प्रयोगहरूमा खर्च गरिएको रकम फिर्ता तिर्नु पर्दैन।

महामारीका कारणले राजस्व घाटा अनुभव गरेका छन् निम्न संस्थाले एस कोषकालागि निवेदन दिन सक्नेछन्: 

  • रेस्टुराँ 
  • खाना स्ट्यान्ड, फूड ट्रक, फूड कार्ट (खानाको ठेला-गाडीहरु)
  • क्याटररहरू
  • बार, सैलुन, लाउन्ज, टाभर्नहरु
  • खाजा र मदिराबाहेक अन्य पेय सामग्री बार
  • लाइसन्सकासाथ पेय मदिरा उत्पादक/ उत्पादन गर्ने केन्द्र अथवा परिसर जहाँ सार्वजनिक रुपले ति पदार्थ चाख्न, नमुना लिन अथवा खरिद गर्न सकिन्छ

सार्वजनिक रुपले तेही इस्थाल्मा बिक्रि गर्ने र कम्तिमा पनि अनसाइट बिक्री सार्वजनिक गर्न योग्य कम्तिमा कूल रसिद को 33 33% समावेश:

  • बेकरीहरू
  • कुनै बनाइने ठाउँहरु 

Is your business majority-owned by Asian owners? Businesses owned more than 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will be given priority for review in the first 21 days of applications. Make sure to check the box self-certifying you are a socially disadvantaged individual!

For detailed information: Restaurant Revitalization Fund (sba.gov)

RRF Program Guide in Asian languages are available here: Restaurant Revitalization Funding Program Guide (sba.gov)

निवेदन इस्पेनिश र अंग्रेजी भाषाहरुमा मात्र उपलब्ध हुनेछ। आवश्यक कागजातहरू तयार गर्नुहोस् र निवेदन फारमज ब तपाई प्रोग्राम सुरू हुन्छन् आवेदन गर्नको लागि तयार हुनुहुन्छ भनेर निश्चित गर्न इन–भाषा गाईडमा समावेश गरिएको आवेदन अभ्यास फारम भर्नुहोस्।

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NAPABA Applauds the Historic Nomination of Tana Lin to Serve the U.S. District Court for Western District of Washington

For Immediate Release: Date: April 29, 2021

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden nominated Tana Lin to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. If confirmed, Lin will be the first Asian American in the state of Washington to be a sitting Article III judge.

“NAPABA congratulates Tana Lin on her historic nomination to be the first Asian American district court judge on the federal bench in the state of Washington,” said A.B. Cruz III, president of NAPABA. “She has a demonstrated commitment to her community, including as an active member of our NAPABA affiliate, the Asian Bar Association of Washington. We applaud President Biden for continuing to nominate judicial candidates who will better reflect the diversity of the communities and nation they are being called to serve.”

Ms. Lin has a strong record of public service beginning her career with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, handling cases at both the trial and appellate stages. She then joined the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice where she enforced federal anti-discrimination laws as a trial attorney with the Employment Litigation Section. She continued her public service at the Chicago office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where she investigated and litigated employment discrimination cases, enforcing civil rights statutes including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Between 2001-2004, she was the litigation coordinator for the Michigan Poverty Law Program. Ms. Lin is currently of Counsel at Keller Rohback LLP where she handles a variety of complex litigation matters. Her pro bono work there includes securing a nationwide preliminary injunction against the suspension of follow-to-join refugee admissions which was part of the Muslim travel ban. With 30 years of legal experience, she has been named to the Super Lawyers List for Washington from 2012, and 2014-2020.

Ms. Lin immigrated to the United States from Taiwan when she was 3-years old, and worked her way through high school and also while attending Cornell University and the New York University School of Law.

NAPABA urges the Senate to swiftly confirm Tana Lin for District Court Judge for the Western District of Washington.

###

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in the largest Asian Pacific American membership organization representing the interests of approximately 50,000 legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

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In the News: Chris Kwok Quoted in The City about Anti-Asian Harassment Incidents against Older Asian New Yorkers

On April 20, 2021, Board Director Chris Kwok was quoted in an article published by The City titled “Older Asians Face ‘A Whole Wave’ of Hate Hidden in Official NYPD Stats.” The article reviewed the NYPD’s statistics on harassment reports and highlighted the 11% increase of second-degree harassment incidents against Asian New Yorkers older than 65 in 2020 compared to 2019. Further, the article describes how reports of harassment are rarely investigated due to how hate crimes and harassment are classified under New York penal law and criminal procedural law. “For crimes against Asian Americans, it seems like there’s a default like we begin with ‘It’s not a hate crime’ and we’re going to have to look for things that prove it is,” stated Chris. He believes that district attorneys should elevate the charges to more serious offenses, even if they cannot be designated as hate crimes.  

The article notes that the NYPD has tried to prevent the increase of harassment incidents in New York by deploying undercover Asian police officers in the community: “In three incidents this month, undercover Asian police officers were targeted in Manhattan, according to the NYPD. All three suspects were arrested and charged with hate crimes. In the most recent incident, on Saturday, police allege a man attempted to shove the officer into subway tracks, saying: ‘That’s why you people are getting beat up. I got nothing to lose.'” Despite this, harassment cases are often dismissed by judges and anti-Asian violence incidents are still underreported.

Chris Kwok was also quoted in an April 15th World Journal article “仇恨亞裔案件列「反新冠」欄目 批評人士：警低估危機” about the underreporting of anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020.

Please also take a look at previous blog posts from February 19, March 1, March 8, March 15, March 29, and April 12 quoting Chris Kwok or mentioning AABANY’s report on anti-Asian violence. If you have come across a news report or article about our report that is not listed above, please let us know at [email protected].

More public awareness about our report and the rise in anti-Asian violence is needed. Please share our report widely. If you have ideas or thoughts about how we can combat anti-Asian violence, please share them with us at [email protected].

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In the News: AABANY Remote Clinic and Spring Break Caravan Featured in Columbia Law School Article

In the April 26 article “Columbia Law Students Participate in 2021 Virtual Spring Break Caravans,” Columbia Law School highlighted a few of the remote spring break pro bono caravans students participated in this year. One of the virtual caravans featured was the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) Remote Clinic. During the spring break caravan, Columbia Law students helped update AABANY’s COVID-19 webpages, participated in client consultations with volunteer attorneys, and did research on consumer debt/foreclosure, immigration, housing, employment, and family law in New York. AABANY Student Leader Jenny Park (CLS’21) organized the caravan with AABANY “because it allowed students to become directly involved with COVID-19 relief efforts and address a specific need in a short period of time.”

To read more about participants’ experiences with the AABANY Spring Break Caravan and to read about other virtual caravans, click here. Thanks to Jenny Park for bringing AABANY and the Columbia Law School community together for this opportunity to provide pro bono resources for the community.

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AABANY Hosts “The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action” on April 9

On April 9, 2021, AABANY and a coalition of bar associations from across the country presented a CLE program titled, “The Surge in Anti-Asian Violence: Corporate Social Responsibility and Action.” About 500 attendees from all across the United States joined an esteemed panel of corporate in-house leaders in a discussion on how corporate employers can address the surge in anti-Asian violence and support their Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) employees. The panel included:

  • Sara Yang Bosco, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Emerson
  • Sam Khichi, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Becton, Dickinson and Company
  • Sandra Leung, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Bristol Myers Squibb
  • Allen Lo, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Products, IP, and Legal Operations, Facebook
  • Susan Moon, Principal Counsel, The Walt Disney Company
  • Caroline Tsai, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Western Union
  • Michael C. Wu (Moderator), GAPABA Board Member

Moderator Michael Wu began the panel discussion by describing how the coronavirus pandemic has become a virus of hate, with the increase of violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans. To add to this, Sara Bosco emphasized the importance of reporting and providing visibility to these incidents and stated, “You cannot manage what you cannot measure.” Asian Americans comprise 6% of the United States population, yet have been historically overlooked despite being part of U.S. history since the 1800s. Due to Asian Americans being viewed as perpetual foreigners and the model minority, coupled with the inaccurate information disseminated about the origins of the pandemic in 2020, Asian Americans have been perceived as an easier target to perpetrators of anti-Asian violence.

When asked how Corporate America should address anti-Asian violence, many of the panelists shared initiatives their workplaces started and gave suggestions on what companies can do. A main focus of the panelists was discussing how Asian employees can be supported in the workplace. To create a supportive environment, companies should reach out to AAPI employees and create an AAPI employee resource group in the workplace if there is not one already. Even if the organization does not have many AAPI employees, it is important for AAPI employees to meet others to increase their circle and build a larger voice. In addition, mental health resources and allyship training should be offered to employees within the workplace’s HR department. Panelists also agreed that not only should the diversity officers in the company address anti-Asian violence, but even CEOs need to speak up and make statements to show support for the AAPI community.

As individuals in the AAPI legal community, Sandra Leung said, “We are in a crisis situation right now with the rise of anti-AAPI hate, but it’s also an opportunity for us to band together to do our part individually or collectively in groups. We have to turn the emotion and anger that we have into action.” She further emphasized that we need to take leadership roles, speak loud, and educate people on anti-AAPI hate. In discussing leadership roles, Sandra Leung remarked, “I feel so compelled right now and so moved by everything we are facing in our community that I would love to run for President-Elect of NAPABA…” AABANY applauds Sandra Leung’s intent to run during these critical times and agrees that we have to continue working collectively to address anti-Asian violence.

Thank you to Sara Yang Bosco, Sam Khichi, Sandra Leung, Allen Lo, Susan Moon, Caroline Tsai, and Michael Wu for this important discussion on anti-Asian violence and corporate social responsibility. Non-transitional New York attorneys were eligible to receive a maximum of 1.5 CLE credit hours applied toward the Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias requirement. CLE credits were also approved in California and Colorado, and CPE credits were approved in British Columbia and Ontario. CLE credits have been applied for in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, and are pending approval. To view a recording of the program, click here or on the image above.

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