Fil-Am Local Officials Act Against Hate
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Artesia Councillor Melissa Ramoso joining the fight for anti-Asian hate (Photo courtesy of Melissa Ramoso)
A compilation of hate crime data in 2021 from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, shows that anti-Asian hate crime increased by 339 percent, with New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities surpassing their record numbers in 2020. The Philippine Consulate in New York reported 34 hate cases involving violent attacks against Filipinos in 2021. Filipinos rank third among Asian hate crimes reported in the U.S. A Pew Research Center survey, noted “four in 10 Asian adults have had people act as if they are uncomfortable around them and three in 10 say that have been harassed with slurs or jokes because of their race or ethnicity since the start of the pandemic.”
“No one in America should fear violence because of who they are, what they look like or what part of the world they or their families came from,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General John Carlin. “The Department of Justice (DOJ) and our component agencies are committed to bringing all of our tools to bear in supporting AAPI communities as we address the horrific rise in hate and bias incidents occurring across the country.”
Carlin met with key U.S. Attorneys in Districts around the country with significant AAPI populations: Northern District of California (San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland); Central District of California (Los Angeles); Southern District of Texas (Houston); Northern District of Illinois (Chicago); and Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
The FBI defines a “hate crime” as a “committed criminal offense that is motivated, in whole or in part by the offender’s bias(es) against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.” A lack of understanding of what constitutes a hate crime, or the lack of awareness of how to report them, are some reasons why victims often stay quiet. They may not also be aware of resources available to them.
On January 26, 2021, President Biden issued the “Presidential Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States,” which mandates the DOJ to work to combat discrimination and violence through both direct federal law enforcement action and capacity building, training, support, and outreach to partners in state and local law enforcement and the AAPI community.
In a historic investment in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in California, the California State Legislature allocated $165.5 million in 2021 to address the rise in hate incidents against them. Around $110 million was allocated to the Stop the Hate Program over three years for community organizations providing direct services to victims of hate and their families, and prevention and intervention services to tackle hate in their communities.
Positively Filipino asked three Filipino American elected officials in California how their cities have dealt with anti-Asian hate and what more could be done for their constituents.
Melissa Ramoso, Councilor of Artesia, where residents of Asian ancestry comprise 38% of the city’s population, of which 18% is Filipino, says that during the pandemic, she initiated and was helped by her council colleagues, two resolutions in two years, denouncing anti-AAPI hate in Artesia.
Artesia Councillor Melissa Ramoso (Photo courtesy of Melissa Ramoso)
In early 2021, Cesar Echano, a resident of neighboring Norwalk, who was walking at the Los Angeles County Park with his wife in similarly nearby Cerritos, was attacked and punched in the face by an unidentified male. In response, Ramoso in March hosted a rally at Artesia Park to support the AAPI community, with over 60 people attending. In support of Echano, Ramoso and fellow Filipino American Cerritos Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama organized a Solidarity Walk in June,
“Overall, there is always resistance from the community to reporting crimes. No matter what ethnicity. The general feeling is that it will fall on deaf ears. That is so unfortunate because I always tell my residents to report. We need that data, and if there is any justice we can seek, we’ll do it. My city staff are trained to report to our local law enforcement agency and we have been on a community-wide campaign to ensure that residents do report,” Ramoso said. “The Stop Asian Hate program is what prompted the safe reporting process for individuals who didn’t want to go to a law enforcement agency and felt their information would be protected.”
Ramoso has a positive and prayerful attitude: “A healthy way to fight back on hate is starting in the home. Conversations with family and even opposing sides are critical in changing how people view others and the world. Your biggest weapon against hate is love and compassion.”
In Vallejo, the second largest city in the San Francisco North Bay Area, Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder Aliga, shares Ramoso’s sentiment. The victims are “afraid of retaliation” and the seeming nonchalance of the police. Vallejo is the most diverse city in the United States and in California where Asians and Pacific islanders make up 26% of the 115,942 population, of which 21% are Filipino. Furthermore, Aliga says that Vallejo’s police department is understaffed and response “has been slow.”
Vallejo Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder Aliga (Source: youtube)
She has also hosted town hall meetings focusing on hate crimes, inviting the police chief and city staff. She tells community members to be vigilant. “Get to know your neighbors and their phone numbers and keep an eye on your street/neighborhood at all times. They need to attend city council meetings and report suspicious activities.” Aliga does outreach and education through church bulletins, social media, print media and hopes to do more on self-awareness and prevention.
Vallejo Vice Mayor Rozzana Verder Aliga (second from left) and friends (Photo courtesy of Rozzana verder Aliga)
San Diego, with 1.3 million residents, boasts the first Filipino American gay mayor, Todd Gloria, who was elected in 2020. Asians make up 17.6% of its population with Filipinos comprising 6%. To encourage the community to report crimes and rely on law enforcement to keep them safe, Gloria has held numerous AAPI town halls and small business walks urging residents to stay vigilant, to know their rights and to report all incidents of lawlessness against them
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (Photo Courtesy of Todd Gloria)
In partnership with the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), Gloria’s office created the Safe Place Program where businesses in the city are designated safe places for victims of hate crimes or harassment to notify police. “SDPD’s Multi-Cultural Community Relations Office conducted pro-active communication, crime prevention support, and assistance to small business owners and community leaders. This created direct relationships between the Community and API Liaison Officers to coordinate responses as necessary and ensure law enforcement had a proactive presence at AAPI community events,” Gloria said.
Mayor Todd Gloria (second from right) with San Diego Police and Fire Officials (Photo courtesy of Todd Gloria)
“I also formed an AAPI Advisory Board to keep me and my staff informed and connected to the community. We work together on a broad range of concerns, including public safety, and we provide the members with information about programs and initiatives they can bring back to their communities through the organizations they represent.” Gloria says that hate crimes in San Diego dropped 15% from 2021 to 2022.
