18 May Commemorating the 2021 National Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate



Event
POSTED MAY 18, 2021
Commemorating the 2021 National Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2021
Commemorating the 2021 National Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate
With rise in anti-Asian hate, 40+ cities and states, 250+ organizations, corporations, celebrities, and community leaders unite for national commemoration to honor legacy of Vincent Chin and promote action, healing, and solidarity
Today, May 18, 2021 marks the third annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) National Day Against Bullying and Hate, led by Act To Change. AAPIs have long faced violence, hate, and bullying, and now the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked rising and unprecedented numbers of anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination.
In recognition of the third annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, actor, author, and Act To Change co-founder Maulik Pancholy issued the following statement:
“It’s critical now more than ever that we protect and empower our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. As anti-Asian hate crimes, xenophobia, and racism are reported at unprecedented and rising numbers, we must remain united and fight against all forms of bullying and hate. Today, Act To Change urgently calls on all leaders and individuals across the country to stand with us on this annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, honor the legacy of Vincent Chin, and advocate for a world free of bullying and hate.”
National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate is observed during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and on May 18, the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was murdered in an anti-Asian hate crime in 1982. This year would have been his 66th birthday.
Major companies are joining Act To Change to mark this day, including Netflix, TikTok, Sephora, Facebook, and Yahoo.
Today, Act To Change also released its first Asian American Bullying Report, in partnership with NextShark and Admerasia, to reveal new groundbreaking data on the bullying realities that Asian American youth are facing. Responses were collected from more than 300 Asian American youth, and found that 80 percent have experienced bullying. Seventy percent of Asian American youth saw a rise in cyberbullying during Covid-19.
Nearly 30 influencers and community leaders participated in the May 18 virtual event UNITED WE STAND
The more than 40 participating cities and states in the National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate include:
- Los Angeles, CA
- New York, NY
- Seattle, WA
- Atlanta, GA
- Boston, MA
- Washington, DC
- Baltimore, MD
- Des Moines, IA
- Dallas, TX
- Philadelphia, PA
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- State of Arizona
- State of California
- State of Hawaii
- State of Louisiana
The over 250 participating community organizations include:
- Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment
- Angry Asian Man
- Arab American Institute
- Asian American News
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC
- Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
- Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment
- Center for Disability Rights
- Coalition for Asian American Children and Families
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Define American
- Girls Inc.
- GLAAD
- GLSEN
- Gold House
- Hollaback!
- Human Rights Campaign
- League of United Latin American Citizens
- Micronesian Islander Community
- National Council of Asian Pacific Americans
- NYC Anti-Violence Project
- OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates
- The Sikh Coalition
- Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
- STOMP Out Bullying
- Stop AAPI Hate
- Teach For America
- The Trevor Project
- Tyler Clementi Foundation
According to Stop AAPI Hate, nearly 6,600 anti-Asian racist incidents were reported since May 2020, a significant increase from 3,795 to 6,603 during March 2021. The center noted that women reported 2.3 times more than men, youth reported 12.6% of incidents, and seniors reported 6.2% of the total incidents. Incident reports have come from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Grace Meng, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Bill has passed both the Senate and the House, and is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden soon. The legislation would instruct the Department of Justice to expedite review of COVID-19 related hate crimes, expand public reporting efforts, and provide guidance to make reporting hate crimes more accessible at the local and state level, including ensuring reporting processes are available in multiple languages.
To join the conversation on social media, use #DayAgainstBullying and #ActToChange.