API Community Works With Councilmembers To Introduce City Resolution Addressing API Racism and Discrimination

The San Diego Asian Pacific Islander (SD API) Coalition has collaborated with San Diego Council President Georgette Gomez (D9) and Councilmember Monica Montgomery (D4) to introduce a resolution addressing the increasing racist incidents against the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community since the wake of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

The resolution proposes that the City of San Diego should document and report hate crimes through the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center as part of a national effort of combating anti-API discrimination.

“Our community is stronger because of our diversity, but this pandemic has exposed an ugly underbelly of society that is attacking the local Asian and Pacific Islander community," said Supervisor Fletcher. "This type of behavior is not welcome here and I support Council President Gomez and Councilmember Montgomery in denouncing xenophobia and anti-API sentiment. As our County’s new Human Relations Commission starts to take shape, we look forward to working with the City and the API community to cultivate an environment that encourages greater understanding and respect.”

The City Council will also encourage City staff to work with the San Diego Human Relations Commission to address and investigate any anti-API incidents.

The San Diego API Coalition in collaboration with City Council plans to use the information reported to create targeted education and media campaigns, provide resources to those affected, and advocate for policies to curb racial targeting as well as to address health inequities.

The resolution is docketed on the City Council meeting agenda as an action item and will be voted on on Tuesday, June 2 by the councilmembers.
 
As COVID-19 has spread, there have been numerous reports of Asian Pacific Islanders experiencing microaggressions, racial profiling, hate incidents and, in some cases, hate violence due to fears of COVID-19. The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council and Chinese for Affirmative Action created an online reporting center “Stop AAPI Hate” to quantify and combat hate crimes targeting APIs.

As of April 29, 2020, Stop AAPI Hate received 1,711 reports of hate acts in the first seven weeks across at least 45 states and the District of Columbia. The report shows 28 cases of anti-API acts in San Diego County reported from March 19 to April 29, 2020 including incidents of verbal harassment, shunning, and physical assault.

Over 30,000 businesses are API-owned in San Diego, with numerous dining and hospitality establishments having reported a decrease in business since January 2020 at the beginning of the outbreak.