San Diego County leaders stood in solidarity with members of the Asian-American and Pacific Islanders communities Wednesday to denounce a rise in hate crimes and attacks against their people.
Democratic members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher and Vice-Chair Nora Vargas announced they have joined forces with the AAPI community to create a resolution that would engage the county's human relations commission to find concrete ways to address anti-Asian hate in San Diego. The resolution was to be presented to the full board on April 6.
"Our country has a long history of attacking communities of color and the API community is no exception to this history," Fletcher said. "We have a history and we must be honest about that, we must acknowledge that and we must take intentional steps to overcome it as a people."
Fletcher added that the COVID-19 pandemic has fueled anti-Asian hate.
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In the course of one year during the pandemic, there were nearly 3,800 incidents reported of anti-Asian hate, from shunning to slurs and physical attacks, according to research released in March by Stop AAPI Hate. The number was much higher than the year before.
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In the course of one year during the pandemic, there were nearly 3,800 incidents reported of anti-Asian hate, from shunning to slurs and physical attacks, according to research released in March by Stop AAPI Hate. The number was much higher than the year before.
Wednesday's briefing was held just over a week after a man killed eight people, including six Asian women, at three Atlanta-area spas that pulled to the forefront the type of misogyny and violence Asian-American women face in the United States. Investigators have not yet called the incident a hate crime but critics say his stated motivations and anti-Asian hate are undoubtedly linked.
In San Diego County, there has been a three-fold increase in hate crimes targeting Asian communities, according to District Attorney Summer Stephan. She said their department is currently prosecuting several criminal cases.
Vargas said that the resolution was not just words but would lead to action.
"This is not just a resolution that we're doing for today. We're actually going to make sure that we're taking action and moving forward," she said, adding that it was up to the entire San Diego community to change the culture that leads to Asian attacks.
"If you see abuse, do what you can to help stop it. Don't be part of the problem," she said.
Kirin Macapugay, a board member of the San Diego API Coalition, said even small changes, like thinking about your words, can make a big difference.
"Words have power. Words have power to uplift and words have power to hurt. For us in the Asian American Pacific Islander communities, when we hear words like the Chinese Virus, when we hear words like Kung Flu, we hurt," Macapugay said.
But those words also have the power to create resolutions that turn into action, she added.
"This crafting a resolution, this partnership we're forging with supervisors Fletcher and Vargas and others is just one step in the direction we hope to take," Macapugay said.
The San Diego API Coalition formed about a year ago in response to the rise in racism and hate against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities.
The coalition's co-chair, Kent Lee, said he has also had an outpouring of people asking what they can do to help their community. What they need most are allies.
"At the end of the day, only by coming together can we stand against hate," Lee said.
Anyone who suspects a hate crime against the Asian-American community, or other frequently targeted communities, can use the San Diego District Attorney's Office online form or hotline to report.
The tool was created, in part, in response to an increase in reports of hate-related incidents directed at Asian-American's DA Summer Stephan said in April 2020. Tips can be made online here or by calling (619) 515-8805.
Hate crimes can also be reported to the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000 or (858) 484-3154, or the San Diego County Sheriff's Department at (858) 565-5200.
