Anti-Asian Hate Condemned In Alexandria Council Resolution

ALEXANDRIA, VA — On Tuesday, Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a resolution condemning hate and acts directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The resolution was introduced in the wake of the March 16 shootings that killed eight people in the Atlanta area. Six of the victims were Asian American women.

According to the resolution, nearly 6 percent of Alexandria’s population is Asian, and the Asian American population is valued for their cultural, educational, and economic contributions to the community.

"Alexandria is a diverse, culturally rich community,” said Mayor Justin Wilson in a statement. "We celebrate our diversity and affirm our unwavering commitment to protecting the human rights of all our residents. We deplore the acts of hate that have occurred against people of Asian descent. Our hearts go out to the victims of violence, their families, and to all who have suffered due to these racist attacks."

Anti-Asian incidents have notably risen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the creation of the nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate in March 2020. The center documents U.S. incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, according to the nonprofit's website. According to its latest report, 3,795 incidents were tracked by Stop AAPI Hate from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021.

Those who believe they have been victims of a hate crime or witnessed a hate crime can contact the city's Office of Human Rights at 703-746-3140 for assistance. Emergencies should be reported by call or text to 911.

Below is the full resolution adopted by City Council.

WHEREAS, nearly 6% of Alexandria’s population is of Asian descent; and
WHEREAS, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population of Alexandria makes significant contributions to the cultural, educational, and economic fabric of our community; and
WHEREAS, incidents of anti-AAPI violence and harassment in the United States have increased since the beginning of the pandemic, including efforts to scapegoat the AAPI community for the COVID-19 virus; and
WHEREAS, no race, nationality or ethnicity is responsible for COVID-19, and having Chinese ancestry, or any other ancestry, does not make a person more vulnerable to COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, ignorance is the lifeblood of conspiracies that hamper our ability to fight the pandemic and endanger the most vulnerable; and
WHEREAS, a July 2020 Pew Research Center study found that one third of members of the AAPI community reported being the target of racial slurs or scapegoating since the pandemic began; and
WHEREAS, a report released by Stop AAPI Hate revealed that there have been at least 3,795
hate incidents targeting the AAPI community from March 19, 2020, to February 28, 2021; and
WHEREAS, in communities around our nation there have been horrific incidents against
members of the AAPI community, including assaults, slashing, and deaths; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 2021, eight people were killed in shootings in three Atlanta-area spas, six of whom were Asian women; and
WHEREAS, language that evokes xenophobia endangers our communities who are experiencing heightened discrimination; and
WHEREAS, AAPI businesses and workers have been hurt by the increase in hate and scapegoating incidents; and
WHEREAS, long-term unemployment has risen more sharply among workers who are members of the AAPI community than any other population; and
WHEREAS, while anti-Asian hate has accompanied the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in this country, it is sadly not new; and
WHEREAS, anti-Asian hate has erupted throughout American history, inflamed by labor pressures, international conflicts, or economic issues, sometimes resulting in racist government acts, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II; and
WHEREAS, on his sixth day in office, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued an Executive Memorandum committing the Federal government to Condemn and Combat Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Alexandria, Virginia, condemns all hate directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our community; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Alexandria, Virginia, affirms its commitment to actively combating racism, achieving racial and social equity, and protecting Alexandria’s vulnerable residents.