Asian American and Pacific Islander groups have launched a reporting tool for people to report coronavirus-related racist acts.
The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) along with the Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) on Thursday announced the creation of the online reporting center where people can fill out a form — currently available in English, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese and Korean — to report the location and type of discrimination experienced and other details.
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The groups say they plan to use the information to create targeted education and media campaigns, provide resources to those affected and advocate for policies to curb racial profiling. The collected data will also allow the organizations to figure out the scope of discrimination nationwide and determine the best solutions from there, CAA Co-Executive Director Cynthia Choi said.
The site stresses that information will be used collectively, not individually, and that privacy will be protected. People are also urged to call 911 for actual emergencies.
The groups also plan to offer resources, including pro bono legal work and direct assistance, including referrals to resources like human relations commissions, school districts and law enforcement, A3PCON Executive Director Manjusha Kulkarni told NBC Asian America in an email.
Asians across the globe have reported experiencing xenophobia as a result of coronavirus fears, with several incidents involving physical harassment. Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump have referred to the coronavirus as the “Wuhan virus” or “Chinese virus,” which experts say could be fueling real-life acts of discrimination.
A3PCON and CAA’s work focuses on California, but Kulkarni said the groups would do their best to help AAPIs outside of California and provide appropriate resources and referrals. Kulkarni also said that while they cannot guarantee they will be able to reach out to everyone who completes the form, the groups will provide resources and assistance where they can.
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Kulkarni said A3PCON and CAA have been developing the reporting center for several weeks. The two groups want to offer support and resources for the Asian Americans and advocate for the community with local, state and federal officials.
“We hope members of the AAPI community will report incidents they have experienced, which may range from microaggressions to incidents of racial profiling to hate violence,” Kulkarni said.
