Statement Renouncing Hate Crimes against the AAPI Community
North Cascades Institute condemns the hate crimes committed against Asian American and Pacific Islanders, which includes the brutal murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta last week. We bear witness to the disturbing uptick in xenophobia and violence towards the AAPI community over the past year across the nation, as well as here in Washington State, and we know this is not a new phenomenon.
The Pacific-Northwest has seen a dramatic uptick in reported violence targeting our AAPI community members. While political rhetoric blaming Asian Americans for the COVID-19 pandemic has inflamed racial tension and fear, it is important for us to recognize the history of hate, exclusion and violence against the AAIP community in our region.
We are horrified and devastated by these most recent acts of violence, and we grieve with the families of the victims.
North Cascades Institute is committed to increasing racial equity in the environmental education sector and combating systemic racism. Please join us in supporting the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community in our region:
Support and Celebrate:
- Outdoor Asian
- Seattle’s InterIm CDA’s Wilderness Inner-City Leadership Development (WILD) program
- Check out the work of the Trail Posse and local journalist and photographer Glenn Nelson
- Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum
- Support Asian-owned businesses in your area
Stand Up:
- Sign up for intervention training with Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Speak out against Coronavirus Racism
Read:
- History of violence towards Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Bellingham
- History of violence towards Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Seattle
- Books about Asian American and Pacific Islander history and experiences
Watch:
- PBS series Asian Americans
- The Smithsonian’s video series We are not a stereotype: Breaking down Asian Pacific American bias
Listen:
- Lucia Liu’s Rock the Boat podcast
- Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast
Yes this is not new, just resurgent. My earliest memory of this is from the 2nd grade about 1946 or 7, defending a Japanese classmate against bullies. The song from Rogers and Hammerstine’s SOUTH PACIFIC captured it accurately, I think: ” You’ve got to be taught, to hate and fear. It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear.”