Statement Denouncing Hatred and Racism Toward AAPI Community

STATEMENT AGAINST HATRED AND RACISM TOWARD AAPI COMMUNITY

MARCH 29, 2021

Dear SMFCSD Community Members,

In light of the recent hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, including last week’s horrific violence in Atlanta, we, the Sanctuary Task Force, want to connect with you, as we stand together to denounce hatred and racism towards the AAPI Community. 

We stand in solidarity with the Asian and Asian-American community, as we work toward justice for all communities who have been marginalized. 

Eighteen percent of SMFCSD educators and roughly thirty percent of our student community are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. As members of the Sanctuary Task Force, we center our work on ensuring that all members of our community feel safe, supported and celebrated in SMFCSD schools. Now and always, it is our responsibility to uplift and center the voices, experiences, and perspectives of our AAPI community members. 

Creating Sanctuary in our community involves addressing and disrupting hate and microaggressions that AAPI community members are experiencing. 

Additionally, we would like to forward resources collected by Wini McMichael, SMFSCD Coordinator of Wellness and Counseling:

• Safety tips for those experiencing or witnessing hate at Stop Asian American Pacific Islander Hate
• Asian American Recovery Services (Via HealthRight 360): Culturally sensitive outpatient treatment for Asian and Pacific Islander residents in San Mateo County (Asian Pacific Islander Programming, Mental Health Services, Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Outpatient Services, School-based Services, Prevention and Education, HIV Prevention, Testing, and Care, Research and Advocacy, Residential and Continuing Care Services, Family and Children Services)
• Learning for Justice: How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism
• National Association of School Psychologists: Countering COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Stigma and Racism: Tips for Parents and Caregivers
• National Association of School Psychologists: Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism: Tips for Teachers and Other Educators
• American Psychological Association: Combating Bias and Stigma Related to COVID-19
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC’s tool for reporting hate incidents and Stop AAPI Hate’s tool for reporting hate incidents
• Speak Up Against Bias pocket guide
• SMCOE curated resources for facilitating critical classroom conversations
• Asian American Identity and Racism - a recorded workshop that provides an overview of Asian American racial identity and issues around anti-Asian racism, and offers some concrete strategies and tools, including trauma-informed practices, to discuss these topics with children (K-12) in age-appropriate ways (1 hr. 10 min.) https://www.immigranthistory.org/aapiparentworkshop.html
• Shining a Light on API Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19 (video of panel that is 90 minutes)
• Care Solace could potentially also be a resource for families interested in connecting with Mental Health services. 

We are grateful for this community and its commitment to inclusion and justice, and we will continue our urgent and important work of building Sanctuary in our District.  

In Solidarity,
Sanctuary Task Force Members 

Statement available in .pdf (English | Spanish)