Dear John,

This month is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM). As I recognize and uplift the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), I also grapple with the heightened racism the AAPI community is facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This pandemic is especially devastating for communities of color. Black and Latinx communities have alarmingly high death rates from COVID-19 and Asian Americans are subjected to aggravated harassment and violence based on the racist suspicion that they are responsible for the pandemic.

The stigma and rise in hate crimes targeting Asian American communities can make them fearful to step outside to access reproductive health care. Moreover, the same anti-Asian racism resulting in violent attacks on the AAPI community has fueled racist laws like sex-selective abortion bans, which result in AAPI women facing increased scrutiny about their health care decisions or denial of reproductive health care altogether.

In honor of APAHM we are highlighting the work of our partner, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF). With 12 active chapters across the United States, NAPAWF builds power among AAPI women and girls to create social, political, and economic change within their communities.

NIRH is working in Georgia with the NAPAWF Atlanta chapter to push forward proactive reproductive health policies at the state and local levels. The NAPAWF New York City chapter co-organized a virtual rally with the New York City Women’s Council and NIRH, among other advocates, in support of a comprehensive legislative reproductive health package that includes a resolution against discriminatory sex-selective abortion bans.

Let’s continue to support the AAPI community as we work together to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice.

In solidarity,