Healdsburg Vice Mayor Decries Racist Letter To Asian Spa Owner

HEALDSBURG, CA — A racist letter sent to an Asian business owner in Healdsburg is being investigated as a hate incident, the city's vice mayor said.

"I've been recently alarmed by a letter of hate being circulated to our Asian/Pacific Islander (API) business community here in Healdsburg," Healdsburg Vice Mayor Osvaldo "Ozzy" Jimenez said in a recent Facebook post.

"First, I'd like to say that there is no room for the abhorrent and hateful language our API community received," Jimenez said. "Healdsburg stands on its values of being a welcoming community to all. I know many of you want to know what we are doing."

The letter Jimenez refers to was received March 22 by Vicky Mai, owner of All Polish Nails & Spa, 449 Center St., according to a news report.

The anonymous letter was filled with hateful epithets toward Asian Americans, calling them "ugly," "smelly" and "disgusting," Mai, who is of Vietnamese descent, told KRON4.

"You don't belong here" and "no one wants you here" were some of the comments made in the letter postmarked from San Bernardino just days after a gunman killed eight people — including six Asian women — at spas and massage parlors in Atlanta, KRON reported.

The letter, which had a fake return address saying it was from the Department of Health and Human Services, was sent to other Asian-owned nail salons across California, according to the news station.

"I can't believe that this actually happened and I hope that somehow things will get better," Mai told the news station.

Since then, Mai and her staff have received several other letters and notes showing their support for the business — some not even from the area, KRON reported.

"Hate will not stand in Healdsburg," said Vice Mayor Jimenez, the first Latino to serve on Healdsburg City Council in three decades.

According to Jimenez, Healdsburg's city manager and police chief were contacting Mai and any other businesses to get more information about the letter.

"The letter being circulated amounts to a 'Hate Incident' under California Law and will be documented/investigated by our police department," Jimenez said.

Any other businesses who received the letter should contact Healdsburg Sgt. Van Vleck directly at 707-431-3377, Jimenez said.