Members of the Filipino community in the United States of America (USA) conducted a symposium on Saturday, July 8, to raise awareness on anti-Asian hate crimes and to combat such incidents involving Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.
The event was organized by the Filipino Migrant Center, Asian American Press Club of the US (AAPCUS), National Alliance For Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), and Kabataan Alliance. It was endorsed by many other community organizations throughout Southern California.
It was held at Veterans Park on Moneta Avenue in Carson, California.
The event aimed to address the role of the government and elected officials in addressing hate crimes, educate attendees on the roots of anti-Asian hate crimes, discuss the need for systemic solutions, and empower individuals and organizations to take action.
(Photo from Filipino Migrant Center Facebook page/ MANILA BULLETIN)
During the event, statistics related to hate crimes were presented to the participants.
Citing the Department of Justice in California, the group said that anti-Asian hate crimes recorded in the state is at 177 percent in 2021.
It was also mentioned that anti-Asian hate crimes in USA also increased to 339 percent in the same year, while 40 to 50 percent of all hate crimes go unreported (according to the National Crime Victimization Survey).
The symposium had a panel discussion that featured members of the Filipino community who are survivors of anti-Asian hate crimes including assault/ physical injury, abuse, and exploitation.
They were able to share their personal accounts or experiences on the said crimes, gather support for their campaign against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes, and call for help from the Philippine government and justice for all the victims.
They also tackled the history of Filipino migration and the current condition of many Filipino migrant workers, including various issues they face in the community.
The attendees also shared their ideas and opinions on how to support the campaign against Asian hate and propose systemic solutions.
“More than 100 community members and elected officials came to listen, dialogue, and decide on initial action steps to support survivors of hate crimes. One thing was clear, racist attacks and racist systems that respond poorly to our needs must be changed by the community by acting together!,” The Filipino Migrant Center said in a Facebook post.
The Filipino Migrant Center was founded in 2010 to address the needs of Filipinos in the South Bay cities of Southern California and has since expanded to serve throughout the entire region. It aims to educate, organize, and mobilize low-income working class Filipino families in the state.
NAFCON is a national alliance of Filipino organizations, institutions, and individuals that responds to the concerns of Filipinos in the US and in the Philippines by creating an action-oriented platform that brings people together through culture & heritage, education, health & wellness, and advocacy (according to nafconusa.org).
The Kabataan Alliance and the AAPCUS are organizations in the US that are providing assistance to the youth, the underserved communities and combat hate crimes in the US and the Philippines.
(Photo from Filipino Migrant Center Facebook page/ MANILA BULLETIN)
During the event, statistics related to hate crimes were presented to the participants.
Citing the Department of Justice in California, the group said that anti-Asian hate crimes recorded in the state is at 177 percent in 2021.
It was also mentioned that anti-Asian hate crimes in USA also increased to 339 percent in the same year, while 40 to 50 percent of all hate crimes go unreported (according to the National Crime Victimization Survey).
The symposium had a panel discussion that featured members of the Filipino community who are survivors of anti-Asian hate crimes including assault/ physical injury, abuse, and exploitation.
They were able to share their personal accounts or experiences on the said crimes, gather support for their campaign against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes, and call for help from the Philippine government and justice for all the victims.
They also tackled the history of Filipino migration and the current condition of many Filipino migrant workers, including various issues they face in the community.
The attendees also shared their ideas and opinions on how to support the campaign against Asian hate and propose systemic solutions.
“More than 100 community members and elected officials came to listen, dialogue, and decide on initial action steps to support survivors of hate crimes. One thing was clear, racist attacks and racist systems that respond poorly to our needs must be changed by the community by acting together!,” The Filipino Migrant Center said in a Facebook post.
The Filipino Migrant Center was founded in 2010 to address the needs of Filipinos in the South Bay cities of Southern California and has since expanded to serve throughout the entire region. It aims to educate, organize, and mobilize low-income working class Filipino families in the state.
NAFCON is a national alliance of Filipino organizations, institutions, and individuals that responds to the concerns of Filipinos in the US and in the Philippines by creating an action-oriented platform that brings people together through culture & heritage, education, health & wellness, and advocacy (according to nafconusa.org).
The Kabataan Alliance and the AAPCUS are organizations in the US that are providing assistance to the youth, the underserved communities and combat hate crimes in the US and the Philippines.