Last week in the wake of the mass shooting in Atlanta, Georgia and the ongoing rise in violence and hatred against Asian Americans, Holy Apostles released the following statement:
We stand in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Island (AAPI) community and condemn the recent and ongoing anti-Asian violence and all forms of racism and misogyny.
At Holy Apostles, we have long been advocates for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity, and we recognize the ways that racial inequality intersects with and exacerbates these challenges.
At Holy Apostles, our thoughts are with those impacted by hate. We raise our voices against acts of injustice and violence and share resources to support the AAPI community during this time.
This week, we want to expand on our statement, further reflect on recent events, and share additional resources with our community. At Holy Apostles, we grieve with, feel anger and sadness with, and stand with our Asian American guests, volunteers, parishioners, donors, and all members of our community. All are welcome here, without question or qualification, and we strive to help all members of our community feel safe wherever they find themselves.
The tragic attacks in Atlanta, Georgia were not isolated incidents—throughout the last year, anti-Asian hatred and violent attacks have increased 150%, and that statistic only includes hate crimes that are reported to the police. These attacks have become especially common in our home state of New York and Holy Apostles stands against them. In the wake of COVID-19, there can be no acceptance of blaming Asian people for the pandemic in the United States or elsewhere.
In addition to the increase in anti-Asian violence, we’ve seen an increase in violence against women, specifically a rise in domestic abuse incidents to a near point of crisis. This crisis of violence and hatred is deeply connected to race and misogyny—and all of these contribute to the epidemics of homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity. Our work at Holy Apostles is both to treat the basic needs of food insecure New Yorkers and to work towards addressing the systemic problems that lead to these crises.
In support of the Asian-American community we encourage you to take the following actions:
- If you witness an anti-Asian attack and can do so safely, film it. Documenting these incidents is crucial in the work for change.
- Donate directly to the victims of Anti-Asian violence:
- Noel Quintana, who was attacked on the subway in New York City on February 3
- Chak Keung Chan, who was attacked after arriving at Syracuse Chinese restaurant from New York for a standard delivery
- Yong Zheng, who was killed in Brooklyn after trying to stop a robbery. He leaves behind a wife and two kids, who will benefit from this GoFundMe.
- Support nonprofits in the AAPI community
- Heart of Dinner: A nonprofit that delivers meals to Asian elders in New York City
- Sakhi for South Asian Women: A nonprofit that supports South Asian women and survivors of violence
- Womankind: A nonprofit that works with survivors of gender-based violence
- Asian Americans for Equality: A nonprofit focused on community development for Asian Americans
- The Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc.: A nonprofit that works as a bridge for Korean immigrants and the wider Asian community to full integrate into society and overcome economic, health, and linguistic barriers
- Think!Chinatown: A nonprofit based in Manhattan’s Chinatown with a mission of listening, responding, and building Chinatown’s capacities as a strong immigrant community
- Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence: A nonprofit organization that works to build the power of low-income Asian immigrants and refugees in New York City
- Coalition for Asian American Children and Families: A nonprofit organization advocating for equity and opportunity for Asian Pacific American children and families
- Support AAPI Restaurants: There are thousands of incredible Asian restaurants throughout New York City and the United States. Supporting these restaurants by ordering food is a great way to invest in the Asian-American community.
