Condemning Violence Against AAPI Communities
MARCH 18, 2021
The Fund for Women and Girls is deeply saddened and troubled by the attacks in Georgia this week. We have joined together with members of the Women’s Funding Network – a philanthropy-serving organization of which The Fund is a longtime member – to issue a statement of solidarity that condemns violence and systemic racism and misogyny against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). The statement is a call to action for philanthropy to invest in, and value, AAPI lives. Read an excerpt of the joint statement below:
“We are devastated not only by the attacks in Atlanta, but also by the ongoing instances of anti-Asian hate and violence – particularly against women – since the start of the pandemic. We reject the remarks made by Captain Jay Baker of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office in Georgia and his characterization of the man, as just “having a really bad day.”
We are clear that imperialist policy, misogyny, racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric in the US – both historical and present day – are the roots of what made this violence possible. We unequivocally stand against violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). There can be no gender justice without racial justice.
We stand with our colleagues at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and Native Americans in Philanthropy who call on philanthropy organizations to invest in – and value – the diversity of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Specifically, by:
- Strongly repudiating violence against Asian American communities. Send a clear message about your institution’s position on anti-Asian violence and all hate-based actions.
- Disrupting the “model minority” and “perpetual foreigner” narratives alongside other racial and gender tropes that serve to divide rather than unify this nation.
- Supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations as part of regular grant making and, also in advancing a more holistic racial and gender equity strategy.
- Honoring and supporting cross-racial efforts that strengthen rather than divide the United States along racial lines.
As women’s funds, foundations, and gender justice funders and allies, we vow to work with all who envision a world free from the social systems and environments that perpetuate hostility and hatred toward marginalized genders in communities of color.”