We, Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc. (UniPro), wish to express our concern and frustration regarding the recent acts of racial injustice that have impacted the Asian community in the United States. Examples of these acts include the death of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee after being assaulted in San Francisco, the attack of 61-year-old Noel Quintana at a New York subway station, and countless others that have occurred thus far. There exists a long history of xenophobia against Asians that has long been neglected, such as the deaths of Vincent Chin in 1982 and Joseph Ileto in 1999. The COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified this violence, with crimes against Asians rising by 1900%. As an organization that envisions a unified and engaged America, we refuse to remain silent during this time of duress in our country for without unity, there is no progress.
UniPro stands in solidarity with all those impacted by this surge of violence and demands that justice be served by prosecuting those responsible for these heinous acts. There is a need for accountability and acknowledgment of the white supremacy existent in this country. We actively detest this inequity that holds the community back from further growth and strive to educate each other with the proper knowledge to create change. UniPro pledges to continue providing a safe space for dialogue so that all may have a platform to speak their truth.
In efforts to remain proactive in effectively combating these issues, we encourage everyone to take action in your respective communities. Be an upstander if you witness racism, discrimination, harassment, assault, or any other atrocity. Everyone has the potential to make a difference so we must all work to dismantle a system that suppresses us and tell our stories when the media will not. Make your voices heard as they are powerful when we take the initiative to unite as one.
For more information, please see the following:
Asian Americans Advancing Justice www.standagainsthatred.org
A3PCON, CAA, & SFSU Reporting Center www.stopaapihate.org
National Coalition of AAPI Community Organizations www.nationalcapacd.org
OneNation AAPI on Rising Anti-Asian Racism www.onenationaapi.com/commission-report-ii
Pew Research Center Data on Asian Americans www.pewresearch.org/topics/asian-americans
“In a time of destruction, create something” - Maxine Hong Kingston
In solidarity,
Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc.
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