SUPPORT BLACK & ASIAN COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY
We believe that every person is created in the image of God and deserves to be treated with equal dignity, honor, and respect. Together, as Black Americans and Asian Pacific Americans, we stand against all action of discrimination, injustice, and violence against any person based on the color of their skin or ethnic origin.
Add your voice to ours by signing this Resolution Supporting Black and Asian Community Solidarity and help stem Anti-Asian violence and continued systemic injustices against Black Americans.
Sincerely,
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
President, National African American Clergy Network
Rev. Hyepin Im
President and Founder, Faith and Community Empowerment
Dr. Walter Kim
President, National Association of Evangelicals
Dr. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr.
Pastor, Reid Temple AME Church, Maryland
Bishop Kenneth Ulmer
Pastor, Faithful Central Church, California
Watch the powerful conversation between Dr. Williams-Skinner, Rev. Im, Dr. Kim, Bishop Ulmer and Dr. Whitlock; facilitated by Mr. Charles Jung. Going There: Black & Asian: Tough Conversations & True Allyship. >>
WE STAND
TOGETHER!
RESOLUTION
SUPPORTING BLACK AND ASIAN COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY
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July 2021
Whereas, we believe that every person is created in the image of God and deserves to be treated with equal dignity, honor, and respect;
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Whereas, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) include a diverse and fast-growing racial or ethnic group of 23 million Americans that provides for roughly 50 ethnic groups with roots in more than 40 countries that have been wrongfully labeled as a “model minority, “and perceived to be sheltered from historical systemic racial and ethnic oppression that has afflicted Black, Latino/a, and Indigenous Americans;
Whereas, the COVID-19 pandemic being wrongfully attributed singularly to the Chinese and labeled as a racial slur “China virus” unleashed unprecedented new levels of anti-Asian discrimination in the form of verbal and physical violence (150% throughout the U.S. and 833% increase in New York City) on AAPIs from March 5, 2020, to the present date;
Whereas, COVID-19 has exposed systemic inequities in all areas of American life, not only for Black, Latinos, and Indigenous Americans but also for AAPIs who, since the COVID-19 outbreak, have faced disproportionate numbers of deaths, hospitalization, business losses, employment as essential frontline workers, and racial slurs, equal to, and in some cases higher than other people of color groups. A few examples include:
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AAPIs and Black Americans are more likely than any other group to say racism toward their racial or ethnic groups is more common since COVID-19. [1]
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AAPIs have a higher fear of physical attack or threat than Black or Hispanic Americans.[2]
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Black Americans and AAPIs have had a similar report of people acting uncomfortable around them since COVID-19. [3]
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AAPIs have the lowest percentage chance to rise to the management level as compared to the national average.[4]
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Black Americans and AAPI youth tried in adult court are imprisoned more often than other groups.[5]
Whereas, AAPIs have been consistently omitted from media references and public policy decision-makers about racial and ethnic groups.
Whereas, Black Americans have for over 402 years experienced the degradation of enslavement, Jim Crow laws, and continued systemic racism in all areas of American life;
Whereas, Black Americans and AAPIs, despite common indicators of discrimination in crucial areas such as homebuying, criminal justice, racialized physical violence or threats, and COVID-19 related cases, deaths, business failures, and frontline workers, have experienced historical and continuing racial tensions rooted, in part, [MY1] [MY2] due to Black Americans' belief that Asian American business owners in Black neighborhoods often disrespect Black customers, and that AAPIs have generally been silent about racial attacks and discrimination against Black Americans; In addition, the model minority myth has pitted minority communities against one another;
Whereas, historic racial tensions between Black and AAPIs are manifest in current COVID-19 physical attacks and threats against AAPIs. While 75% of the attackers are White Americans, we lament that some of the attackers are Black Americans. [MY3][6]
Whereas, [MY4] historic solidarity between the Black & Asian communities have often gone unnoticed by our media, leaving our communities without examples of solidarity with one another; hidden stories like that of the great American statesman Frederick Douglass standing up against the potential of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 [7] stories like Asian American community leader Yuri Kochiyama supporting the Black community and imagery of her holding Malcolm X’s head as he was being assassinated [8]; stories like the Rev. Jesse Jackson rallying around Lily Chin and the Asian American cause after Lily’s son Vincent was murdered for being Asian or Japanese thus started a movement of justice services for the AAPI community in 1984 [9];
Be It Resolved that the Black Americans and AAPIS commit to start connecting, collaborating, and communicating around strategies for addressing historical and current discrimination facing both groups in areas such as criminal justice reform, voting rights, business restoration post-COVID-19, higher management level jobs, homeownership, and housing discrimination.
Be It Resolved that persons of African and AAPI descent commit to engaging in collective leadership aimed at ending discrimination and racial targeting; and promoting policies that advance equity, justice, and equality for both communities;
Be It Further Resolved, Black Americans and AAPI leaders and organizations commit to building collaborative relationships to message through every form of media to both communities the overwhelming mutual benefits of building solidarity and working partnerships to address historical and current discrimination while celebrating the enormous contributions Black Americans and AAPIs have made to American life and culture.
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Sources:
1, 2: *https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/07/01/many-black-and-asian-americans-say-they-have- experienced-discrimination-amid-the-covid-19-outbreak/
3. http://www.80-20initiative.net/news/preselect2008.asp
4. Harvard Business Review, www.hbr.org | "Asian Americans Are The Least Likely Group in the U.S. to be Promoted to Management." Buck Gee and Denise Peck, May 30, 2018
5. The Color of Justice: An Analysis of Juvenile Adult Court Transfers in California January 2000. Figure 3.
6. Black on Asian Crime Statistics (financegeek.org)
7.https://www.workingimmigrants.com/2017/04/frederick-douglass-argues-for-the-chinese-immigrant-and-composite-nationality/
8. https://time.com/3880035/yuri-kochiyama-at-malcolm-xs-side-when-he-died-is-dead-at-93/
9. https://abc7news.com/jesse-jackson-aapi-community-sf-chinatown-reverend/10799028/
[1] 1 https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/07/01/many-black-and-asian-americans-say-they-have-experienced-discrimination-amid-the-covid-19-outbreak/
[2]https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/07/01/many-black-and-asian-americans-say-they-have-experienced-discrimination-amid-the-covid-19-outbreak/
[3] https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/07/01/many-black-and-asian-americans-say-they-have-experienced-discrimination-amid-the-covid-19-outbreak/
[4] http://www.80-20initiative.net/news/preselect2008.asp
[5] The Color of Justice: An Analysis of Juvenile Adult Court Transfers in California, January 2000, Figure 3.
[6] Black on Asian Crime Statistics (financegeek.org)
[7]https://www.workingimmigrants.com/2017/04/frederick-douglass-argues-for-the-chinese-immigrant-and-composite-nationality/
[8] https://time.com/3880035/yuri-kochiyama-at-malcolm-xs-side-when-he-died-is-dead-at-93/
[9] https://abc7news.com/jesse-jackson-aapi-community-sf-chinatown-reverend/10799028/
This is also due to the fact that the Model Minority type was used to pit Asian Americans against other minority groups; this was a ploy of the system to hold up AAPI's as a model to make other groups look bad. This creates lots of tension between AAPI's and Black and Brown communities. [MY1] [MY1]
This model minority type tool was created in the late 1960s. [MY2] [MY2]
Actually, according to NBC News and Prof Janelle Wong, more than 75% of perpetrators of Anti-Asian Violence are White. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/viral-images-show-people-color-anti-asian-perpetrators-misses-big-n1270821 [MY3]
For additional information, visit www.facela.org
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Supporters
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, President, National African American Clergy Network
Rev. Hyepin Im, President, Faith and Community Empowerment
Dr. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr., Pastor. Reid Temple AME Church, MD
Dr. Walter Kim, President, National Association of Evangelicals
Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Pastor, Faithful Central Church, CA
Nikki Toyama-Szeto, Executive Director, Christians for Social Action
Pastor Dave Gibbons
Min. Margaret Yu, National Director of Epic Movement
Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church, GA
Rev. Dr. Al Tizon, Executive Minister, Serve Globally
Byron Chun, San Francisco, CA
April Parker, Los Angeles, CA
Nichole Fowler, Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Joseph Hickman, Westfield, NJ
Eunice Ko, Los Angeles, CA
Dan Cho, Los Angeles, CA
Jimmy McGee, CEO/President, The Impact Movement, Inc, Atlanta, GA
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