Planet Women Stands in Solidarity with Asian American Pacific Islander Communities

Planet Women stands in solidarity against all forms of racism and xenophobia. According to a recent report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, overall hate crimes decreased by 7% in 2020 in the United States. However, hate crimes targeting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities increased by a stark 149%. These attacks have included verbal abuse, violence and the vandalization of Asian-owned businesses, especially in the largest U.S. cities. Advocates and activists link the rise in AAPI hate crimes, in part, to the emboldened rise of racist and xenophobic rhetoric in the public sphere since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, racism against AAPI communities is not a new phenomenon. The United States has a long history of instituting racist policies against AAPI communities, from passing the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited Chinese immigrants and laborers from living and working freely, to the post-World War II internment of Japanese Americans. In light of this long history of racism and the recent rise of anti-AAPI sentiments, we wanted to clearly affirm that we support our sisters and brothers in the AAPI community and firmly stand against any and all violence and racism.

There is a direct link between the way we treat each other and the way that we treat nature. At Planet Women, we believe that racial, social and gender justice is inseparable from true progress on the environmental crisis. Our organization is dedicated to standing against all forms of injustice and creating a world where all people are valued, included and have the freedom and means to thrive.