FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 19, 2022
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Lisa Ling, Olympian Mirai Nagasu, Ambassador Katherine Tai, Congressional Leaders, Mayors to Mark National Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate
With rise in anti-Asian hate, 35 cities and states, 120+ organizations, corporations, celebrities, and community leaders unite for national commemoration to honor legacy of Vincent Chin and promote action, healing, and solidarity
This Wednesday, May 18, 2022, marks the fourth annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) National Day Against Bullying and Hate, led by AAPI anti-bullying nonprofit 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 fourth annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, actor, author, and Act To Change co-founder Maulik Pancholy issued the following statement:
“Anti-Asian hate crimes, xenophobia, and racism continue to be reported at an unprecedented level, we must remain united and fight against all forms of bullying and hate. In addition to protecting and empowering our communities, we must also ensure we provide the platform and resources for healing. 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.
Act To Change remains committed to our mission against hate and bullying. Hate must have no place in our country. We are devastated by the violent mass shootings in Buffalo, Orange County, and other racially-motivated attacks in recent days. We decry these tragedies and stand in solidarity with the Black community and others against hate and extremism. Public officials must recognize the urgent need to respond with the resources and leadership to uplift our communities, address the drivers of racism and hate, and support young people in preventing prejudice from taking root.”
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 67th birthday.
A recently released report found that in 2021, the most populous cities across the country experienced a 44% rise in hate crimes, a trend that has continued since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s commemoration is titled “United We Heal,” with May also being Mental Health Awareness Month. Due to a lack of awareness, and linguistic and cultural barriers, the AAPI community has the lowest help-seeking rate of any racial group in the United States.
Major companies are joining Act To Change to mark this day, including Sephora, Nickelodeon, Disney, Netflix, Paypal, Warner Music Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Meta, and ESPN.
This live virtual event will also precede an in-person community reception at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.
The 35 participating cities and states in the National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate include:
- Albuquerque, NM
- Atlanta, GA
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Burlington County, NJ
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Francisco, CA
- State of Arizona
- State of Maryland
- Torrance, CA
- Washington, D.C.
- Whatcom County, WA
Participating celebrities and influencers in the May 18 virtual event (3pm PT / 6pm ET) include:
- The Honorable Miguel Cardona, United States Secretary of Education
- The Honorable Amb. Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative, White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Advisory Council Co-chair
- Lisa Ling, journalist, television personality, and author
- Poorna Jagannathan, actor and producer
- Jeremy Lin, NBA champion
- Michelle Li, journalist, co-founder of the Very Asian Foundation
- Mirai Nagasu, Olympic figure skater
- Nik Dodani, actor, comedian, and writer
- Ivy Kwong, LMFT, speaker, author, coach, and licensed psychotherapist
- Vanita Gupta, Associate Attorney General
- Congresswoman Judy Chu, CA-27, Chairwoman, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)
- Congresswoman Grace Meng, NY-06
- Congressman Andy Kim, NJ-03
- Congressman Ted Lieu, CA-33
- Congressman Jimmy Gomez, CA-34
- Congressman Mark Takano, CA–41
- Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, WA-07
- Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, WA-10
- Congresswoman Young Kim, CA-39
- Mayor Michelle Wu, City of Boston
- Mayor Farrah Khan, City of Irvine
Fast Facts:
- AAPIs have the lowest help-seeking rate of any racial/ethnic group, with only 23.3% of AAPI adults with a mental illness receiving treatment in 2019.
- About 1 in 5 students report being bullied during the school year
- 40% of AAPI LGBTQ youths have considered suicide in last year, report says
- Fifty percent of Asian American students report bias-based harassment
- Two-thirds of Sikh American students report being bullied
- Half of Muslim American students report being bullied due to their religion
- 1 in 4 Asian American youth has experienced COVID-19-related bullying
If you are a company, organization, or individual interested in becoming a sponsor or partner for National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, visit acttochange.org/2022dayagainstbullying .
To join the conversation on social media, use #DayAgainstBullying and #ActToChange.
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Originally launched under President Obama’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Act To Change is a national nonprofit organization working to end bullying among AAPI youth. It envisions a world where all youth can grow up feeling proud of and supported in who they are.
