The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency condemns all acts of racism, violence, and other expressions of hate, bias and discrimination in our country, including the recent murders in Atlanta of Daoyou Feng, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Xiaojie Tan, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Yong Ae Yue. These heinous actions have had a profound effect on our Puget Sound community as well as our staff, especially those of Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander descent. 

Acts of racist violence are part of a longstanding pattern of bias in our country against Asian people. As an agency, we are working to do our part to dismantle the systematic and institutional race-based discrimination that divides our communities and which includes communities of color being disproportionately impacted by air pollution.

Beyond historic discrimination, the xenophobic and racist language used by some people during the events of the COVID pandemic also contributed to this atmosphere of hate. The actions of those individuals, who seek to divide us by use of racist stereotypes and slurs against Asian people and other people of color must also be condemned.

We support the Biden Administration’s call for Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, which states that “advancing inclusion and belonging for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities is critical to guaranteeing the safety and security of the American people.” 

For further learning and action, the following is a list of resources:

Reporting a hate crime

• www.stopaapihate.org/
• www.cisc-seattle.org/report-an-incident-of-hate-or-bias/?bblinkid=249580595&bbemailid=30070003&bbejrid=1904701760

Advocate against bias and learn more

•  www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice/Coalition-Against-Hate-And-Bias.aspx

 Battling stereotypes and understanding history

• The PBS series Asian Americans about the history of identity, contributions, and challenges experienced by Asian Americans
• The Smithsonian’s video series We are not a stereotype: Breaking down Asian Pacific American Bias which explores what it means to be Asian Pacific American and the impacts of Asian Pacific American stereotypes
• www.depts.washington.edu/civilr/Asian%20Americans.htm?bblinkid=249581051&bbemailid=30070003&bbejrid=1904701760

Bystander Intervention Training/resources to stop anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment

• www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/
• www.ihollaback.org/app/uploads/2016/11/Show-Up_CUPxHollaback.pdf

Mental Health Resources

• www.asianmhc.org/

* List courtesy of Neighborhood House