John,

The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month where we recognize the immense contributions of our AAPI brothers and sisters. As one of the fastest growing communities in the United States and in California, the AAPI community includes individuals who draw their heritage from East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Pacific Islands.

The United States has a long and painful history of discrimination against the AAPI community. In the 19th century, the Page Act restricted the immigration of Chinese women, and the Chinese Exclusion Act was the first race-based exclusion law in the United States, which eventually deprived most Asians of the ability to become U.S. citizens. The internment of the Japanese American community, and discrimination against the South Asian community post-September 11th, are stains on our history.

The historical otherization of the AAPI community continues to make the community vulnerable to hate crimes and white supremacist violence. An organization tracking hate crimes--Stop AAPI Hate-- has reported that hate incidents have doubled since last year. In March, six AAPI women were targeted and murdered in Atlanta, and in April, four members of the Sikh community were killed in Indianapolis. The consequences of hate and xenophobia are deadly. At our recent convention, the California Democratic Party passed a Resolution denouncing hate crimes and discrimination against the AAPI community.

But there is more work to do to protect our communities. The Republican recall effort is led by people who are blatantly anti-immigrant and have engaged in racist rhetoric against the AAPI community. We must work together to defeat these forces to ensure that all of our communities can thrive. As we celebrate the role that the AAPI community has played in the movement for justice, let us recommit ourselves in our fight towards a better California for all.

Join CADEM on May 26, 6 - 7 p.m. as we honor AAPI Heritage Month and discuss how we can work together to uplift the voices of the AAPI community.