National Co+op Grocers (NCG) is saddened by violence against the Asian and Pacific Islander community and condemns these hate crimes. Since March 2020, there has been an alarming rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, which have increased 1900%.
Stop AAPI Hate, an organization that tracks anti-Asian hate crimes, received nearly 3,000 reports of racism and discrimination targeting Asian Americans between March and December of 2020. However, because many incidents are never reported, the actual number of incidents is thought to be much higher. Asian American rights advocates attribute the unprecedented string of attacks to political rhetoric blaming China for the pandemic and the scapegoating of Asian Americans for the economic and social impact of COVID-19.
Many of these attacks have involved Asian Americans over the age of 60, such as Vichar Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old immigrant from Thailand, killed on his morning walk in San Francisco, and a 91-year-old man assaulted on the street in the Chinatown neighborhood of Oakland. These, unfortunately, are not isolated incidents.
On Jan. 26, President Biden signed an executive order rebuking xenophobia against Asian Americans, and a number of business leaders have publicly denounced these hate crimes. NCG commends these actions and recognizes that we all have a part to play in preventing members of our NCG family, friends and neighbors from becoming targets of oppression and intolerance.
NCG advocates concern for community as one of our core co-op principles. We believe we all have the capacity — and responsibility — to effect change. Here are a few resources to counter racism, support Asian Americans and help communities heal.
- Learn the basics of bystander intervention. This site provides training on how to protect your neighbors and co-workers when bias and harassment occur in front of you. For the basics on bystander intervention, click here.
- Support allies of the Asian community with your dollars. One example is the Asian Pacific Fund’s Solidarity Fund, which specifically goes to organizations working to address anti-Asian sentiment.
- Take a stance on social media. Use the hashtags like #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate.
NCG is a learning organization on a continuous journey to build a positive and inclusive culture that values a diversity of ideas, perspectives and identities. NCG is in its third year of working with TMI Consulting, a diversity and inclusion management consultancy, to build a more diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace and community. Please join us in sharing the resources above and speaking out against hate of all forms.