The last year has seen an increase in racist and xenophobic assumptions, behaviors and reported attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who are wrongfully perceived as responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak. The mass murder of AAPI community members in Atlanta earlier this week is a horrific continuation of this racist behavior and must not be tolerated. The nature of the attack should also lead to an equally important conversation we must have about the intersection of misogyny and class in xenophobia.

This attack is not an isolated incident, but the terrible culmination of recent and historic anti-AAPI attacks and misinformation in the United States. While it is easy (and accurate) to blame a portion of this increase on falsehoods spread by the former President and his Administration, it is important to recognize that this misinformation is also deeply rooted in the historical legacy of racializing infectious diseases as an instrument of hatred against People of Color.

Viruses do not originate from, nor are they spread by, specific racial or ethnic groups, and any such misconceptions should be strongly rebutted. We have seen the impact of this prejudice in our region through both reported and unreported hate crimes against individuals and the toll on the Asian American business community. We also recognize that the AAPI community was in fact, instrumental in limiting the spread of the virus by choosing to close businesses and adopt and promote social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment before such measures were required by the Commonwealth.

MAPC is committed to combating this fear and racism through education, advocacy, and ongoing collaborations with organizations that do important work in this field. MAPC does not tolerate any harassment nor xenophobic behavior from staff, community partners, or any member of the community participating in events managed by or affiliated with the agency.

Below are educational resources on the history of racializing infectious diseases and the history of xenophobia in the AAPI community. We have also provided links and contact information to organizations that we know are working to directly to support the AAPI community in the region.