Tag: hate crime

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Screening at New York Law School of “Voices Against Anti-Asian Hate” Documentary

On February 26, 2025, I attended a screening at New York Law School of Voices Against Anti-Asian Hate, a documentary co-produced by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), that captures the raw and painful experiences of those directly impacted by anti-Asian violence.

The documentary featured survivors, their families, and community supporters, including Justin Go, father of Michelle Go; Sungkon Lee, father of Christina Yuna Lee; and Jessica Zhao, former Vice President of the Forest Hills Asian Association, who lives in Queens where both Zhiwen Yan and GuiYing Ma were killed. Other featured individuals included Fulton Hou, Jane Kim, Noel Quintana, Patricia Zhang, and Michael Zhu, all of whom were traumatized by anti-Asian hate.

The documentary itself was heavy and haunting. The survivors, family members of those who lost their lives to anti-Asian hate, and dedicated community leaders recounted their experiences with a level of emotion that was both painful and necessary to witness. They were not just statistics or distant headlines—they were real people whose lives had been shattered by senseless violence. The randomness of the assault, the lack of accountability, and the feeling of helplessness resonated with the audience deeply. These anti-Asian hate experiences revealed a horrifying reality: victims of anti-Asian hate crimes are left to navigate their trauma alone, with little support from law enforcement or the legal system.

The wave of anti-Asian attacks has infiltrated every aspect of daily life, striking in places that are meant to be safe and routine. These attacks have occurred on subways, buses, and even in car mechanic shops, spaces we often consider neutral. Delivery workers making their rounds, carrying out everyday tasks like dropping off takeout, have also become targets. Attacks have taken place while simply sweeping a sidewalk near our homes, a place that should symbolize peace and security. Walking down the street or even being followed into one’s home has become an all too familiar fear for many in the community. These are not isolated incidents; this can happen to any of us. Everyone performs these activities, commuting, working, and walking in their neighborhoods, making it clear that no one is immune to the impact of this growing violence. It is an urgent wake-up call that these attacks are not just random outliers; they are attacks on the everyday lives of real people.

An insightful panel discussion followed after the screening, featuring Yang Chen, Executive Director of AABANY, Chris Kwok, Community Activist/JAMS Mediator and Arbitrator, and Anthony K.C. Fong, General Counsel at Victoria’s Transportation Co., Inc. in New York and an alum of New York Law School. Their discussion explored and analyzed hate crimes, bail reform, and the broader systemic issues that continue to fuel anti-Asian hatred and violence.

The panel discussion provided a necessary legal and societal framework for understanding these anti-Asian hate incidents. One of the key topics was bail reform and its unintended consequences. While bail reform aims to prevent economic discrimination against low-income defendants, it has also led to a revolving door system where perpetrators of hate crimes are often released back onto the streets. While reforming the justice system is essential, it may be failing communities of color, including Asian Americans. Yang Chen spoke about the difficulty in prosecuting hate crimes, particularly the high burden of proof required to establish racial motivation. Without clear-cut evidence such as an explicit racial slur or symbol, many violent attacks are not categorized as hate crimes, allowing perpetrators to receive lighter sentences. This legal hurdle is a significant roadblock in addressing anti-Asian violence meaningfully.

The panel highlighted the importance of community engagement in fighting anti-Asian hate. They emphasized that legal advocacy alone isn’t enough; we need education and community solidarity. The Asian American community cannot afford to remain passive. We need to actively participate in conversations about criminal justice reform, public safety and political representation.

The documentary and panel discussion made clear that the struggle against racism and xenophobia is far from over. It is easy to assume that awareness alone will lead to change, but awareness without action is meaningless. Watching Voices Against Anti-Asian Hate was a reminder of why advocacy and vigilance are crucial. The trauma inflicted on our communities does not disappear once the news cycle moves on. Hearing the pain of the survivors and the frustration from legal experts reinforced my belief that real change requires sustained effort.

I left the screening with a mix of anger, sadness, and determination. The documentary and panel reaffirmed that we cannot afford to be complacent. Whether it’s supporting organizations like AABANY, helping survivors navigate the complexities of the legal system, or simply checking in on our elders and neighbors, we all have a role to play.

In dedication to the memory of Michelle Go, Christina Yuna Lee, and all other victims of anti-Asian violence, we must continue to support initiatives such as the Anti-Asian Violence Task Force and their important projects: HEART (Hate Eradication Active Response Team) supporting victims of anti-Asian hate crimes, court watching, Anti-Asian hate crimes data collection, and the Rising Tide and Endless Tide reports examining anti-Asian hate and violence. We must also engage in ongoing community outreach and advocacy. The fight against anti-Asian hate is not just about reacting to tragedy; it’s about building a future where our communities no longer have to live in fear. The questions we need to ask ourselves now are: What are we going to do about it? How do we make sure that the level of hate and violence experienced by the AAPI community in the last few years does not happen again and does not afflict other vulnerable populations?

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AABANY Members Join Third Anniversary Prayer Walk for Michelle Go

On Wednesday, January 15, 2024, two dozen people braved the chilling morning winds of Times Square to join a prayer walk commemorating the anniversary of the death of Michelle Alyssa Go. 

Three years before, on an early Saturday morning, as Michelle stood near the edge of the downtown R subway platform, Martial Simon charged toward her and pushed her to her death onto the front of an oncoming train.  Simon, a 61-year-old homeless man with a history of schizophrenia and prior arrests was charged with second-degree murder for Michelle Go’s death.  

Simon was found mentally unfit to stand trial and has been incarcerated at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center, a maximum-security state psychiatric institution.  Doctors have been treating Simon and in April 2024, he passed a mental health evaluation. However, he refused to take medications after being moved to Rikers Island.  When brought into court on April 30, 2024, Simon began yelling uncontrollably and was  removed from the courtroom.  Simon has since been incarcerated at Kirby.

Participants in the walk included Justin Go, the father of Michelle, and Michelle’s brother, Jefferey Go, who both live in California and had flown to New York City the weekend before.  A number of the walkers were AABANY members, including Jennifer Wu and Larry Wee, Board Directors of AABANY, who have devoted much time assisting victims and the families of victims of anti-Asian violence in New York City; Marilyn Go (no relation to Michelle), retired U.S. Magistrate Judge and former AABANY Board member, helped organize the prayer walk for this year’s commemoration, as well as walks on the first and second anniversaries of Michelle’s death. Also participating in the walk were community organizer Liz Ouyang and members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. 

The walk began shortly after 10 a.m. with Reverend Cristobal Tong, a Pastor at 3Stone/NYCAC welcoming the group and saying a prayer in remembrance of Michelle.  Rev. Tong then led the group to the R subway station, walking down Broadway and entering the station at the 42nd Street entrance.  After going down the escalator and praying, the group walked down the stairs to pray on the platform where Michelle was standing when pushed by Simon.

Michelle Go, only 40 at the time of her death, was beautiful, bright, and kind.  She earned an M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business.  She worked first at Barclays Capital and then joined Deloitte, where she concentrated on mergers and acquisitions.  A member of the Junior League, she volunteered for over ten years to help the poor and homeless before her senseless death.

The killing of Michelle Go has impacted many residents of New York City in many ways, including raising fears that they could be the next victim of random violence.  For Asian Americans, such fears are heightened given the dramatic rise in anti-Asian violence and hate since 2020, as documented in two reports issued by AABANY and the Asian American Law Fund of New York, A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions, and Endless Tide: The Continuing Struggle to Overcome Anti-Asian Hate in New York. Although the NY Police Department officer did not check the box that this killing was a hate crime in his crime scene report, Simon admitted when he voluntarily surrendered to the police that he was aware of Michelle’s race.  

Moreover, the status of the trial of Simon for Michelle’s murder raises the troubling question why was he released from a psychiatric institution in the first place? Referring to Michelle’s case, Governor Hochul in her State of the Union address on January 14 announced that she is trying to expand mental health treatment and strengthen security as part of efforts to allay fears of crime.  

As seen in this ABC News report featuring the prayer walk, the prosecution is determined to bring Simon to trial. The rest of us, including those of us on the walk, can only pray that justice will be achieved.  

— Written by Marilyn D. Go

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NAPABA, the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, and the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago Statement in Response to the Act of Hate in Plainfield, Illinois

NAPABA Logo

For Immediate Release:  October 17, 2023  Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON – On Sunday, an unimaginable nightmare visited a Palestinian American family in Plainfield, Illinois, a suburban region outside of Chicago. Local law enforcement officials have accused the family’s landlord of murdering a six-year-old child and attempted murder of the child’s mother in their home. The Will County Sheriff’s Office concluded that the perpetrator targeted the family because of their Islamic faith.

No words can capture the anguish and devastation that this vile act of hate has brought. We send our deep, heartfelt condolences to the family, and we stand with the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities throughout the United States.

Acts of hate must have no quarter anywhere. As the nation responds to the current conflict in the Middle East, we must not overlook our common humanity. Hate, whether in the form of anti-Asian hate, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, white supremacy, or any other act of bigotry must be condemned across the board.

On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its national crime statistics for 2022, reminding us that our work to eradicate hate must continue. With unrelenting focus, NAPABA, the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, and the Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago are committed to do so.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

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NAPABA and Jacksonville AABA Statement in Response to the Shooting in Jacksonville, Florida


For Immediate Release: 
Date: August 28, 2023		Contact: Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director for Policy 

WASHINGTON – On the 60th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, the day, which started with a remembrance of the work remaining to achieve Dr. King’s dream for racial and social equity, ended in tragedy. This past Saturday afternoon on August 26, 2023, according to news reports, an individual armed with a handgun and an AR-15-style rifle that bore white supremacist markings shot and killed three people from the Black community at a store in Jacksonville, Florida. Local law enforcement officials have reported that the individual, who was white, left written evidence detailing his “disgusting ideology of hate” and that the shooting “was racially motivated, and he hated Black people.”

To say that our hearts are broken would be an understatement. We stand with the people of Jacksonville and with the families of the victims.

Throughout the history of the United States, we have seen – time and again – the devastating impacts of hate on our communities. Yet we must not yield and allow history to repeat itself. We cannot allow hate to hold our communities hostage. And we refuse to allow white supremacy any safe harbor.

NAPABA and the Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association remain committed to eradicating hate and making Dr. King’s vision a reality.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

The Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association (JAABA) is a voluntary bar association of attorneys, judges, and law students, who serve the Jacksonville and North Florida areas. JAABA is an affiliate member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (the “NAPABA”) which represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. JAABA seeks to carry out the mission statement of NAPABA – promoting “justice, equity and opportunity for Asian Pacific Americans” and fostering “professional development, legal scholarship, advocacy and community involvement.” To that end, JAABA issued a joint statement with NAPABA regarding the racially-motivated attack that occurred in Jacksonville over the weekend; and reiterates its support of NAPABA’s values of “equality, community, advocacy, relationships, diversity, equity, inclusion, open-mindedness, and the health and wellbeing of our members” and the communities in which we live and serve.

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AABANY Anti-Asian Violence Task Force Attends the Sentencing of Tammel Esco

On November 29th, AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force (AAVTF) led by Chair Elaine Chiu and member Jim Lin, attended the sentencing of Tammel Esco in support of the survivor of a horrific act of hate that took place in Yonkers on March 11, 2022. AAVTF member Jennifer Wu represented the survivor pro bono as the case against Esco proceeded through the courts and accompanied the survivor, together with co-counsel Johan Tatoy (also an AABANY member) at the sentencing.

Tammel Esco was arrested after he brutally beat a 67-year-old Filipino-American woman at the entrance of her Yonkers apartment. Esco pleaded guilty to the charge of first-degree assault as a hate crime and was sentenced to 17-1/2 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Minihan presided at the sentencing and recounted Esco’s sad history. She offered him the chance to apologize or explain himself, but he declined. In her victim impact statement, the survivor stated, “A complete stranger heartlessly spit, beat, and kicked me over 100 times just because of my heritage. I lost months of my life. I will forever be on edge.” Currently, she remains in stable condition, yet had to move out of her longtime home due to the traumatic event.

After the sentencing, AABANY members had the chance to meet the District Attorney of Westchester County, Mimi Rocah, at her press conference, where Jennifer Wu commented on the survivor’s behalf, stating, “Leaving the home that you’ve had for 24 years and where you raised your daughters, is incredibly painful.” During the meeting, AAVTF members offered proposals on statutory reform and how to prevent such gruesome cases from occurring in the Asian American community in the future. Elaine Chiu commented further on AAVTF’s attendance at the sentencing and the press conference, stating, “It was a very valuable day with efforts that contribute to the multi-faceted work of our Task Force.”

Watch this News 12 report about the sentencing, in which Johan Tatoy, as the survivor’s attorney, spoke at the press conference and AAVTF Task Force Chair Elaine Chiu was interviewed.

To learn more about the AAVTF and support its efforts, please click here.

Join the AAVTF at the next court watching on January 10, for the sentencing for Elisaul Perez, who pled guility to manslaughter in the death of GuiYing Ma. More details here:
https://www.aabany.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=1701949

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AABANY Co-Sponsors a CLE Program about Anti-Asian Violence and Steps Lawyers Can Take to Combat the Issue on May 26

On May 26, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY), along with the New York City Bar Association (NYCBA) and the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), hosted a CLE program about the rise in anti-Asian violence during the past year. Karen King, AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee Co-Chair welcomed the attendees. Bret Parker, the Executive Director of the New York City Bar Association introduced the program and gave his thanks to the organizers of the event as well. Karen Kithan Yau, AABANY Board Director and the moderator for the event, introduced the program’s panelists: PBCS Committee Co-Chair and Morvillo Abramowitz Partner Karen King; AABANY Board Director, Issues Committee Co-Chair, Asia Practice Committee Co-Chair and JAMS Mediator Chris Kwok; Girls Rule the Law founder Mirna Santiago; Kings County DA Office Bureau Chief Kin Ng; and Legal Aid Society Cop Accountability Project attorney Jennvine Wong.

Karen King and Chris began the presentation for the event. Karen first discussed the origins of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining that anti-Asian bias incidents began very early on in the pandemic. The number of incidents only tapered off due to the stay-at-home orders, before increasing once again after President Trump’s inflammatory statements blaming Asians for the outbreak. Chris also pointed out that the New York Police Department (NYPD) often neglected to fully investigate the earliest occurrences of anti-Asian hate, regarding them as minor incidents. He also presented a brief history of anti-Asian violence, beginning with the Chinese massacre of 1871 which immunized violence against Asians and ending with the Vincent Chin case. Karen then discussed the causes of the violence against Asians. She explained that societal stress, inaccurate information, underreporting, lack of cultural awareness of the discrimination that Asians face, and prosecution’s tendency to not pursue hate crime enhancements all contributed to the increase in anti-Asian incidents. Chris also noted that the NYPD Asian Hate Crimes Task Force not only lacks funding, but that its members are already assigned to other departments in the NYPD and serve on the Task Force on a volunteer basis. The Black Lives Matter and the Defund the Police movements also eclipsed the issue of anti-Asian violence through the end of 2020. Karen explained that AABANY’s report on anti-Asian violence was written to document this issue and keep it in the public eye.

After the presentation, Karen Yau opened the conversation to the rest of the panelists. She began by addressing Mirna, asking her what it meant to be an ally. Mirna explained that the feeling of “otherness” is something that all minority groups face. She also emphasized the need to break away from tit-for-tat allyship and to build a trans-racial coalition united to fight against racism and hate.

Karen then turned to Kin and asked about the reasons why any hate crimes had yet to be successfully prosecuted. Kin explained that unlike other crimes, law enforcement must not only prove that the perpetrator committed the crime, but also must prove that the perpetrator was motivated by racist sentiments. This process is often lengthy and requires a great deal of investigation. Kin also pointed out that acquiring evidence of hate speech can be prevented by the victim’s inability to understand English. He acknowledged how frustrating the process was, but also encouraged the attendees to report any incidents, as establishing a pattern aids the prosecution of hate crimes.

Karen then followed up by asking how prosecutors dealt with the difficulties of investigating hate crimes. Kin explained that establishing trust between the District Attorney’s Office and people in the community is instrumental in acquiring evidence. He also pointed out that more funding and employing more bilingual individuals to act as a liaison between the DA’s Office and the community would aid prosecution immensely.

Karen then turned to the issue of over-incarceration. Addressing Jennvine, Karen asked her thoughts about combating anti-Asian incidents without turning to incarceration. Jennvine acknowledged the issue, emphasizing how hate crime enhancements disproportionately affect other minorities who are already overrepresented in the prison system. She also asserted that criminalization would obscure the root cause of the violence, white supremacy. Rather than buy into the media’s false narrative of blacks versus Asians, Jennvine explained that many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are subjected to violence because they are trapped in poverty and living in unsafe neighborhoods. Jennvine concluded by contending that turning to the NYPD would not offer a viable long-term solution.

Karen then returned to Kin, asking if the new discovery laws had any effect on the prosecution of hate crimes. Kin explained that the new laws would allow the alleged perpetrator’s defense attorney to call witnesses in their homes because the defense is entitled to interview witnesses. This change has resulted in some individuals being less willing to testify, making underreporting more severe.

Karen then moved the conversation to bail reform. She described one incident where, due to the pandemic, the alleged perpetrator of a bias incident was not put on trial and walked free without an order of protection for the alleged victim for several months before going to court. Jennvine responded by emphasizing the importance of bail reform and how previous bail laws only gave victims a false sense of security. She also pointed out that orders of protection are typically granted and also tend to only give protection in name. Kin also noted that the large gap between the report of the incident and the court date was due to the extraordinary circumstances caused by the pandemic. The absence of an order of protection was due to the lack of a court hearing until the later date.

Karen then addressed Chris, asking about his experiences in speaking with the media. Chris explained that when the report was published in February of 2021, mass media was not aware of the basic facts about anti-Asian violence. When the media coverage began to recede in March, the Atlanta shootings gave new gravity to the situation, though much of the nuance about the issue was lost in the popular narrative which pits blacks against Asians. Nonetheless, Chris also noted that the attention Asians have received in the media is unprecedented.

Karen then turned back to Mirna, asking to what degree the conflict between Asians and blacks is real. Mirna emphasized the need to educate others and to reconsider our own bias when being an ally. She also highlighted Grace Lee Boggs, an Asian woman who was extremely active in the fight for black civil rights in the 1960s. She closed by reiterating the need for listening and empathy across communities.

Karen then inquired about the importance of symbols, such as swastikas, in prosecuting hate crimes. Kin responded that since Asian cultures are extremely diverse, finding a single symbol that could be employed as a hate symbol against Asians would be difficult. Kin also reiterated that the police’s ability to prove a connection between race and the crime depends largely on the amount of effort the police are willing to put into the investigation.

Karen’s final question was about the possibility of a program where alleged perpetrators could receive counseling from victims. Karen King disagreed, questioning its practicality, but supported counseling perpetrators. Mirna concurred, stating that it should never be the burden of the victims to help their perpetrators. Chris also emphasized the importance of education and cultural competency in combating racism and building solidarity.

Kin and Chris then closed the panel discussion by reemphasizing the need for reporting incidents, as the issue of anti-Asian violence would remain invisible unless victims and witnesses stepped forward to bring the issue into the spotlight.

The President of the NYSBA, Scott Karson, concluded the event by thanking the organizers, panelists, and attendees for participating in the event, and reiterated NYSBA’s solidarity with the Asian community. Karen Yau also encouraged attendees to volunteer for AABANY’s Hate Eradication Active Response Team (HEART), an initiative which would allow volunteers to connect community members who had experienced a bias incident with legal and mental health resources.

To learn more about the HEART initiative click here. To view the full video of the program, click here.

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NAPABA Statement on President Biden’s Signing of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

For Immediate Release:
Date: May 20, 2021

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden signed into the law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Grace Meng (D-NY) in the House. This legislation requires that the U.S. Department of Justice designate a point person whose sole responsibility is to facilitate the expedited review of hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic and to expand public education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of hate crimes.  The Justice Department shall also issue guidance on greater accessibility for online hate crimes reporting for victims in multiple languages and for those with disabilities.  The law also incorporates the Jabara-Heyer No HATE ACT Act which increases resources for training on identifying and classifying hate crimes.

“NAPABA thanks President Biden for signing into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which answers the call for greater resources to improve education, training, reporting, and data collection on hate crimes in this country,” said NAPABA President A.B. Cruz III.  “This law is a strong step forward to stem the ongoing tide of anti-Asian hate, bias and violence.” 

The legislation also authorizes grants for states to create state-run hate crimes reporting hotlines and crime reduction programs to prevent, address, or respond to hate crimes. Finally, for individuals convicted of federal hate crime offenses and placed on supervised release, the bill allows a court to order that the individual participate in educational classes or community service directly related to the community harmed by the defendant’s offense, as a condition of supervised release.

In response to the surge in attacks against Asian Americans in the wake of the pandemic, NAPABA in partnership with the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) have produced a hate crimes reporting toolkit – translated into 25 languages and English – the single largest collection of such different AAPI-language materials assembled, that provides basic and critical information for victims, community based organizations, and community leaders. 

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Bill was introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in the Senate, and Representative Grace Meng (D-NY) in the House.  The Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Fred Upton (R-MI), Judy Chu (D-CA), and Vern Buchanan (R-FL).  NAPABA thanks them for their leadership.

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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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NAPABA Partners With Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum to Address COVID-19 Through CDC Grant Funding Opportunity

For Immediate Release:        

Date: April 27, 2021

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director

WASHINGTON – NAPABA is proud to announce that the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) has awarded it grant funding under the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Engaging AANHPI Communities in Adult Vaccination (EVAC) program. Under this award, the first received in its history, NAPABA will leverage its nationwide network of nearly 90 affiliate organizations and its expertise at the intersection of language access and anti-Asian hate violence to enhance vaccine confidence and uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations.

“The nearly 4,000 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate, and the countless acts of hate that go unrecorded, has had an impact on our communities to live safely, including getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Community members are scared to leave their homes and are not making appointments for the vaccinations for fear of being targeted,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “In this environment, we especially want to ensure that the most vulnerable AANHPI persons are able to receive the vaccine: the elderly, those with limited English proficiency, recent arrivals, undocumented persons, those on the unconnected side of the digital divide, and others who lack access to COVID-19 information and vaccinations. We are honored to collaborate with APIAHF and over 20 partners nationwide to ensure vaccine confidence, access, and equity.”

In recognition that vaccine messaging will be conducted in the same communities experiencing increased threats and attacks based on the falsehood that AANHPIs are responsible for the pandemic, NAPABA and APIAHF have developed a ground-breaking collection of Combat Hate Crimes Toolkits translated into 25 different AANHPI languages – the largest compilation of its kind. These toolkits provide critical information for victims, community-based organizations, and community leaders on how to report attacks to law enforcement and how to help AANHPI communities deter future threats. NAPABA supports vaccination efforts by deploying these legal and advocacy educational resources in tandem with COVID-19 vaccine information so that AANHPI community members feel safe to leave the house, obtain their vaccines, and return to normalcy without suffering the additional threat of bias motivated attacks.

“NAPABA and its membership has THE largest nationwide boots on the ground reach of any AANHPI organization in the country, including in discrete and hard to reach areas where little infrastructure exists for the community,” said Juliet K. Choi, President and Executive Director of the APIAHF. “This historical and innovative strategic partnership with NAPABA will increase COVID-19 vaccination education by leveraging their members who are trusted civic leaders in their local communities that work to address community needs across a wide spectrum of issues.”

NAPABA plans to mobilize its nationwide network of nearly 90 affiliates and our members’ substantive legal expertise across a range of areas, drawing especially on its innovative work in linguistic access, and will be hiring an Education Coordinator for COVID-19 Vaccination Equity to help fulfill this mission.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents 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.

NAPABA | 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510 | Washington, DC 20006 | www.napaba.org

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Fall Conference 2020: Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic

On September 26, 2020, as part of the second day of the 2020 Fall Conference, AABANY hosted a program discussing Anti-Asian Violence and Hate Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic, which focused on trends and newly compiled statistics related to this discrimination. The panel included:

  • Karen King, Counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Moderator)
  • Joe Gim, Deputy Chief of the County Court Trial Bureau in Nassau County
  • Russell Jeung, Professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University and Member of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council
  • Stewart Loo, Deputy Inspector of the NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force
  • John C. Yang, President and Executive Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice
  • Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director at the Asian American Federation

First, Professor Jeung introduced “Stop AAPI Hate,” an online reporting center organized by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council. Since March 19, 2020, the reporting center has been tracking and responding to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California and where possible throughout the United States. In California, there have been over 300,000 reported incidents over the eight month period. There was a major uptick in March when President Trump started calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” and in late June when Trump started using the term “Kung Flu.” Although most of the reported incidents have been verbal, there have been an alarming number of incidents where Asian Pacific Americans (APA) were coughed or spat on.

Jo-Ann Yoo then discussed the situation in New York and emphasized that reporting is only as good as its outreach. Joe Gim specified that legally, a hate crime in New York must both involve a person selected to have a crime against them because of their identity and have that factor be a substantial part of the crime.

Next, Stewart Loo introduced the NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force, which gets involved with incidents of hate and discrimination when they become crimes. The task force assists victims who cannot speak English but want to report an incident. Due to cultural differences and the length and complexity of reporting a crime to the NYPD, the criminal process can be very daunting. Yoo added that many people are shy or afraid to report, regardless of a language barrier, especially to the media. John Yang then discussed the importance of media pieces in humanizing the statistics and building community strength.

Professor Jeung and John Yang also discussed how APA social status has historically been very conditional. As many APA individuals still toggle between being part of a Model Minority or a Yellow Peril, they are seen as perpetual foreigners, which adds to the rising anti-Asian hate.

The panel concluded with talking about the rise in APA youth supporting Black Lives Matter. In order to be heard on a nationwide scale, everyday citizens must fight for the respect that their communities do not already receive, whether by serving as a poll worker, speaking up in organizations, or simply voting. The panel ended with discussing how APA culture is stereotypically seen as quiet, but in order to see change now, people need to speak up and speak out.

Thank you to the panelists, Joe Gim, Russell Jeung, Stewart Loo, John C. Yang, and Jo-Ann Yoo, and moderator Karen King for leading such an inspiring and important discussion on anti-Asian violence and hate during the pandemic. And thank you to the AABANY Pro Bono and Community Service, and Government Service and Public Interest Committees for hosting the event.

Click here to access the Stop AAPI Hate website.
Click here to access AAF’s COVID-19 Safety Resources.

To view a recording of this program, please click on the video image at the top of this blog post.

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NAPABA Condemns Hate-Fueled Violence in Kentucky and Pennsylvania

The National Asian
Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) strongly and unequivocally
condemns the climate of hate, racism, and anti-Semitism that has fueled
violence against individuals and communities across the nation in the
past week. We are committed to fighting hate crimes by educating and
empowering our community to speak up and act against racially-motivated
rhetoric and conduct, and to hold those accountable who encourage it.

This
past week, a gunman attempted to enter First Baptist Church, a
predominantly African-American church, near Louisville, KY. When he
failed, he entered a local grocery store and murdered two Black people,
an incident the FBI is now investigating as a potential federal hate
crime. Just days later, on Saturday, an anti-Semitic attacker with an
assault rifle killed eleven members of the congregation at Tree of Life
Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA.

NAPABA
stands in solidarity with the Jewish and Black communities nationwide,
and pledges to continue working steadily to promote our core values of
acceptance, diversity, and inclusiveness. Our thoughts are with the
families of the victims of the horrendous violence in Kentucky and
Pennsylvania. All people should be able to live their lives and worship
freely without fear.

For more information, the media may contact Nisha Ramachandran, NAPABA interim communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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