Policy and litigation updates from Advancing Justice | AAJC

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Protecting and Advancing Our Community in the Face of Hate

This February, we ushered in the Lunar New Year while holding space for our complex and sometimes conflicting emotions. On one hand, many of us were filled with hope following the outpouring of support from people sharing our resources, donating, and pushing for national coverage of anti-Asian/Asian American hate. On the other hand, some of us feel frustration and hurt that it took horrific and graphic harm against our already vulnerable elders for people to become outraged.

Amid the tragedy, we celebrate the strength and durability of our chosen families, from the work that community organizations are doing to provide relief to Houston's underserved AAPI communities, to the individuals and groups who have organized to protect Oakland Chinatown elders, to the hundreds of people who marched along New York's streets in a breathtaking display of unity against racism and xenophobia.

As we celebrated Black History Month, we were also reminded of Black and Asian trailblazers and historic moments of solidarity that continue to inspire the cross-racial movements we engage in today. We look forward to all the new year has to bring for us, send gratitude to long-time supporters and followers of our work, and welcome everyone just joining in.

Keep scrolling to read more about Advancing Justice | AAJC's current initiatives and how you can get involved.

EVENTS

Join the Value Our Families coalition for a virtual week of action from March 29 to April 3! Sign up for the opportunity to attend free trainings on how to meet with legislators and make your stories heard.

Didn't get to join us for our event Building Coalition Against "China Initiative" Discrimination? Access the full event recording featuring Rep. Judy Chu, Karen Korematsu, and more on YouTube.

ADVANCING JUSTICE | AAJC IN THE NEWS

Director of Strategic Initiatives Marita Etcubañez was interviewed by Cosmopolitan on what to do and watch for when you see an Asian/Asian American being targeted by hate.

“What can be really hurtful is when people are like, ‘No one did anything; nobody helped me.’ Let’s try to have more people out there who can help make sure that those situations don’t happen," she said.

President and Executive Director John C. Yang spoke with Rolling Stone Magazine about the long-standing history of anti-Asian hate in the U.S. and the graphic videos of attacks on elders that have spurred many into action.

“It’s understandable that we want to focus on this now. We also need to keep our focus even when there aren’t these videos, even when there isn’t that one single incident that brings it out," he said.

Advocacy and Policy

Advancing Justice | AAJC as a National Leader of Anti-Hate Work

Over the last month, our President and Executive Director John C. Yang has done a significant number of interviews with local and national news outlets on the most recent increase in anti-Asian/Asian American hate crimes and hate incidents.

While it is disappointing that it took horrific and graphic harm against our elders for people to become outraged, Advancing Justice | AAJC is encouraged by the support and coverage we have received as a leading voice in the nation's fight against racism and xenophobia. Below are some highlights:

The Debrief with Major Garrett: "Virus of Hat‪e‬" — featuring an interview with Mari, one of the individuals who reported a hate incident through our hate tracking website, StandAgainstHatred.org.

PBS News Hour: "‘Words matter’ as Asian American leaders urge action against hate crimes"

All Things Considered (WAMU): "What’s Behind The Recent Attacks Against Asian Americans In The D.C. Region"

Washington Post: "Attacks on Asian Americans during pandemic renew criticism that U.S. undercounts hate crimes"

NBC Today Show: "'Stop killing us': Attacks on Asian Americans highlight rise in hate incidents amid COVID-19"

CBS Evening News: "Hate crimes against Asian Americans continue to rise amid pandemic"

USA Today: "What You Can Do About Anti-Asian Violence"

Presidential Proclamation

President Biden announced a Presidential Proclamation on February 24 that rescinded former President Trump's ban on green cards and diversity visas! The Value Our Families coalition celebrated this announcement and we commend all of the advocates for their tireless work within VOF to build an immigration system that protects and promotes family unity.

Read the full proclamation here.

U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021

The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation commends the President and Congressional leaders in their fulfillment of a campaign promise to offer a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants, DACA recipients, and TPS holders that includes 15,000 people from Nepal.

The Immigration Advocacy team at Advancing Justice | AAJC saw through to the inclusion of the No Ban Act and Congresswoman Chu’s Reuniting Families Act, which would positively impact many Asian American, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) community members. While there are several key aspects of the bill that fall significantly short of the long-term promise to undo harms levied against immigrants, Asian Americans Advancing Justice will continue to strive to build support in Congress and among the public for truly transformative change in our immigration system — including for those with criminal convictions.

Read more from our official statement here.

DOJ Reversal of Yale Affirmative Action Lawsuit

On February 3, the Department of Justice announced that it would drop its lawsuit against Yale University, which had alleged the university was discriminating against white and certain Asian American applicants in its admissions process. The lawsuit spread false and harmful stereotypes of students of color and instigated divisions both among and within racial groups, despite affirmative action being proven in the courts to be lawful. This was a key victory for diversity in higher education, as race-conscious admissions ensure that the many highly talented individuals in America's communities of color are not overlooked in the application process.

Read the full statement from Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

For Your Radar

Low-income families will soon be able to get $50 per month to help pay for broadband! The Federal Communications Commission is looking for people and organizations to help share important consumer information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Sign up to be an FCC community outreach partner and help ensure AAPI families impacted by the digital divide know about this benefit! Click here to learn more about how to get involved.

Our litigation team filed an amicus brief in Farhane v. United States, which would determine whether a criminal defense attorney’s failure to advise a naturalized U.S. citizen of the denaturalization and deportation consequences of a guilty plea constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment. The amicus brief highlights the complexity of the naturalization process, and the relative lack of knowledge by naturalized individuals about how our legal system requires their attorneys to inform them of the possibility of denaturalization for themselves as well as their families. Click here to read the full brief.

Blog Highlights

We have work to do, America
Read our latest blog for Black History Month from our president and executive director John C. Yang on his reflections of where we were six months ago, where we are now, and where we need to go from here.

Black and Asian Solidarity in American History
Asian and Black communities have been strongest when they’ve sought to dismantle white supremacy together. Learn about five major events that illustrate powerful and moving coalitions between Asian and Black communities that have led to major leaps forward in racial justice.

A New Year, A New Way Forward to End Immigrant Criminalization
The new Congress must cut the prison-to-deportation pipeline before it causes life-long pain to more Asian American refugees and immigrants.

Read more of our blogs!

Count On Your Census Podcast

Drawing the Power Line‪s‬
In a matter of weeks, the U.S. Census Bureau will release state by state population data to determine how 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned among 50 states. And then comes redistricting. Justin Levitt, Constitutional Law Scholar and Professor at Loyola Law School, sheds light on how consequential redistricting is, how to have a voice in it, and what can be done to ensure a robust, accurate, and inclusive count in 2030. Listen on Apple Podcasts here.

The Lasting Legacy of Census 202‪0‬
Hear from Arturo Vargas, CEO of the NALEO (National Association of Latino and Elected Officials) Educational Fund, on his advocacy to ensure a full and accurate count despite how President Trump sought to manipulate the 2020 Census for partisan advantage. Listen as Arturo describes how he is inspired by the enhanced collaboration of civil rights organizations in allied communities and the new generation of young people who understand the importance of engaging in civic life. Listen on Apple Podcasts here.

Natural Disasters, Climate Change and the 2020 Censu‪s‬

From hurricanes to wildfires and an unprecedented, deadly and mismanaged pandemic, 2020 devastated the very communities the census seeks to count. Dr. Allison Plyer, Chief Demographer at the Data Center, discusses natural disasters, climate change, roadblocks to economic recovery and insights for a better plan in 2030. Listen on Apple Podcasts here.

Take Action With Us

Stand Against Hatred was created by the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in January 2017 to capture information about the increase in hate we observed in the months before and following the 2016 election. Since COVID-19 began, however, we have received many new testimonials of anti-Asian/Asian American incidents of hate and harassment.

As we state on the site, "By sharing what you experienced or witnessed, you can educate the public, empower others, show service providers where help is needed, and strengthen advocacy efforts for hate crimes response and prevention." We know that sharing these experiences can be painful, which is why we're so grateful for the brave individuals who continue to trust us with their testimonials.

If you or someone you know would like to share your experience, please visit StandAgainstHatred.org today.

As COVID-19 and racial injustice persist, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and Hollaback! have continued to provide their free three-part training series, which more than 16,000 people attended in 2020. With the most recent spike in anti-Asian/Asian American hate crimes and hate incidents, it has become increasingly important that we empower our communities with the tools to protect one another.

See below for dates, times, and links to register for one (or all) of our upcoming virtual training sessions. Each event will be capped at 1,000 people, so be sure to register in advance!

Bystander Intervention Training

March 15 at 6pm ET / 5pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT / 12pm HST
- Register Here

Conflict De-Escalation Training (Bystander Intervention 2.0)

March 17 at 2pm ET / 1pm CT / 12pm MT / 11am PT / 9am HST
- Register Here

Workshop for People Experiencing Anti-Asian/American Harassment

March 19 at 4pm ET / 3pm CT / 2pm MT / 1am PT / 11am HST
- Register Here

Take Action to End the "China Initiative"

In recent years, the U.S. government has greatly increased the targeting and racial profiling of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants, particularly those of Chinese descent, who are working in science and technology. Since the "China Initiative" policy was enacted 2018, federal agencies have focused their grant fraud investigations on Asian/Asian American immigrant scientists and researchers, and criminalized administrative errors that have led to ruined careers and left lives in shambles.

Help us put an end to the federal government's racial profiling and criminalization by signing our petition and writing letters to your members of Congress asking them to take action.

Join Us in Fighting for #Citizenship4All

Advancing Justice | AAJC is partnering with NAKASEC to call for the creation of a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants regardless of age, country of origin, or history with incarceration. Take action with us in these critical first 100 days by volunteering to call Congress and the White House or signing our petition to demand #Citizenship4All, as well as an end to all detentions and deportations!

Join Our Team!

We are looking for a full-time Director to lead the newly created The Asian Americans Education Project! The Project’s objective is to expand ethnic studies through the inclusion of historically and culturally competent curriculum on Asian Americans nation-wide. Click here to learn more about the position and share it with individuals who you think might be a good fit to join our team!

We are also looking for a full-time Development Associate to help support fundraising strategies and initiatives, as well as aspects of resource development for the organization. These duties include leading the work on donor prospect research, acknowledgment of donor contributions, database entry and donor research, and other activities related to development. Click here to apply today.

Give Today

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