May 1, 2020
Ms. Foundation on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Ms. Foundation on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
NEW YORK (May 1, 2020) – Ms. Foundation for Women President and CEO Teresa C. Younger released the following statement to mark the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month:
“Today we recognize the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, dedicated to the celebration of the rich culture, heritage, and history of this diverse community. “
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the labeling of this novel coronavirus as the ‘Wuhan Virus’ have been coupled with the rise of hate crimes and xenophobia towards the AAPI community. According to the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), AAPI folks are experiencing microaggressions, racial profiling, and hate incidents, including physical violence, with women being targeted at a higher frequency than men.”
“While Donald Trump and his administration continue to perpetuate this racist behavior with their deprecating comments and stigmatizing references of the novel coronavirus, this is an opportunity for us to be better and dismantle the harm caused by scapegoating and racial profiling.”
“The Ms. Foundation believes that now is a time to celebrate this community’s rich history, beautiful culture, and wonderful contributions to our society, and we will continue to work until every individual feels safe and respected for who they are.”
Ms. Foundation spokespeople are available for interviews by phone or video from NYC. To schedule, please contact Sunshine Sachs at [email protected].
###
For 45 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has worked to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. The Ms. Foundation invests in, and strengthens the capacity of women led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural, and economic change in the lives of women. With equity and inclusion as the cornerstones of true democracy, the Ms. Foundation works to create a world in which the worth and dignity of every person are valued, and power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.