County To Reaffirm Support For Asian Community At Event On Friday

ROCKVILLE, MD — In response to the Georgia massage parlor shootings, in which eight people died, Montgomery County leaders will be holding an "Asian American and Pacific Islander Unity" event on Friday at 10:30 a.m.

The purpose of the event, according to officials, is to "reaffirm the county's support for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members who have been the targets of ongoing harassment and recent hate crimes."

During the event, county leaders will share information on the public safety and legal resources available to residents through the Office of Community Partnerships and the Department of Health and Human Services. Speakers will also address the recent rise in crimes against Asian communities.

"All county residents are suffering the economic, educational, and public health consequences of the pandemic; however, many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are also concerned about their safety because of the xenophobic rhetoric associated with the COVID-19 virus leading to acts of harassment, hate crimes, and a surge in violent attacks across the country," officials said.

Stop AAPI Hate — a nonprofit that tracks incidents of discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders — released a report this week recorded 3,795 "hate incidents" between March 19, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021. More than 500 of them occurred this year.

"The number of hate incidents reported to our center represents only a fraction of the number of hate incidents that actually occur, but it does show how vulnerable Asian Americans are to discrimination, and the types of discrimination they face," the report read.

Friday's event will be held over Zoom. It will also be broadcasted on County Cable Montgomery and the council's Facebook and YouTube pages. Register to receive the Zoom link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EIfDhkttQVSSqlCIo666IQ.