We have recently witnessed several violent and hateful acts against Asian American people in the Bay Area and 2,808 documented anti-Asian hate incidents across the country. These vicious attacks are only the most recent and most visible examples of how Asian Americans have been targeted throughout our history because of their race. The fact that a number of these attacks were recorded gives us visible evidence of a lack of respect for human safety and has put the Bay Area in the national spotlight. We support the condemnation of these acts by a number of AAPI leaders in their statement this week (see link here) as they join forces through cross-cultural organizing and promoting alternatives to further harm and criminalization.
We join those organizations in condemning these horrific acts – especially acts that have targeted elders and women – in the strongest possible terms. People who have committed these crimes must be held accountable and we must all acknowledge the pain and suffering that survivors have experienced. We also condemn the use of the so-called “model minority” myth as a racial wedge to divide communities of color against each other. At a difficult time like this, it is essential that we stand together.
There is a broader role for anyone who cares about our communities. Foundations and our nonprofit partners must work harder to examine the underlying causes and conditions that have made Asian communities a target of racial hatred and which threaten our ability to heal across races and cultures. We must address the fundamental inequities that are built into a system that reinforces institutionalized racism so that we can finally promote understanding, caring, and true community safety. This includes more funding for organizations providing support and services to victims; funding for community-based violence prevention, and addressing a failed education system that has come to be known as the “school to prison pipeline.” Finally, we have to invest in these changes over the long term, not just when a crisis occurs.
Funding for these issues is practically non-existent. Currently, less than 1% of national foundation grants support Asian American communities and we commit to addressing this funding inequity. We call on our colleagues in philanthropy to provide significant funding for programs that AAPI survivors, leaders, and communities require to address this violence and build racial solidarity. We urge you to join us.
Sincerely,
Eddy Zheng
Founder and President
New Breath Foundation
James W. Head
President and Chief Executive Officer
East Bay Community Foundation
Fred Blackwell
Chief Executive Officer
San Francisco Foundation
Nicole Taylor
President and Chief Executive Officer
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Debbie Chang
President and Chief Executive Officer
Blue Shield California Foundation
Crystal Hayling
Executive Director
The Libra Foundation
Timothy P. Silard
President
Rosenberg Foundation
Quinn Delaney
Founder and Board Chair
Akonadi Foundation
Lateefah Simon
President
Akonadi Foundation
Patty Quillin
Director
Meadow Fund
Cathy Cha
President & CEO
Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Sam Cobbs
Chief Executive Officer
Tipping Point Community Foundation
Dr. Robert K. Ross
President and Chief Executive Officer
The California Endowment
Tyler Norris
Chief Executive Officer
Well Being Trust
Luis Arteaga
Chief Executive Officer
Y&H Soda Foundation
Peggy Saika
Executive Director
Common Counsel Foundation
Jamie Allison
Executive Director
Walter and Elise Haas Fund
Judy Belk
President and CEO
The California Wellness Foundation
Carmen Rojas, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Marguerite Casey Foundation.
Allison Scott, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Kapor Center
Don Howard
President and CEO
James Irvine Foundation
Patricia Eng
President & CEO
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders.
in Philanthropy
Jacqueline Bouvier Copeland, Ph.D.
Founder, President, and CEO
The Women Invested to Save Earth Fund
Sandy Herz
President
Sobrato Philanthropies
David Onek
Chief Executive Officer
Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2)
Surina Khan
Chief Executive Officer
Women’s Foundation California
Jennifer Rainin, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Kenneth Rainin Foundation
Sara Lomelin
Executive Director
Philanthropy Together
Allison L. Magee
Executive Director
Zellerbach Family Foundation
Alexa Cortés Culwell
Co-Founder
Open Impact
Rochelle Leininger
Executive Director
The Mel and Leta Ramos Family Foundation